Through Blood and Tears
by Sassybratt
Summary: AU: Saturday Detention. Thats when the horror begins. Someone from somebody's past comes back...and intends for a bloody reunion. Locked in, no phone, one night. Can they put their differences aside to survive?
1. Incident at the Club

**Through Blood and Tears**

**Chapter 1: Incident at the Club**

The music was upbeat and loud as dancers crowded the floor. Kagome smiled as she glanced over the wild and crazy club that was her friends' favorite hangout. She turned her attention back to what her group was saying.

"Seriously," Sango said, eyeing her boyfriend suspiciously. "You can be such a pervert sometimes." Kagome shifted her gaze and saw Miroku sporting a red hand print across his cheek. Along with his stylish face mark, he wore a black tank top and dark, slightly baggy, blue jeans.

"What can I say? It runs in the family. Besides, I was only making sure you were okay. These seats can be a bit hard to sit on." The dark haired woman looked over to see Inuyasha scowling at the lecher's feeble attempt at an excuse. When Miroku saw no one was buying his charade, he quickly dropped the act and offered up a sheepish grin.

Kagome laughed at the situation. That's how it always was between their group. Miroku was a pervert, but Sango had somehow grown to love him. The brunette was more of a tom-boy, but still knew fashion; evident of the pink halter top and low faded blue jeans adorning her athletic frame. Kagome glanced across the table to see Inuyasha's eyes roaming the dance floor. His silver hair seemed to sparkle from the lighting in the room and she smiled when her gaze fell upon the pair of dog ears atop his head.

"I'm going to get something to drink. Anybody want anything?" Kagome asked while taking a glimpse at the bar across the room.

"Just get me a coke," Sango replied, keeping her gaze on her boyfriend's wandering hands. Her friend nodded before looking at the boys expectantly. They both shook their head and Kagome stood up, making her way through the crowded room.

After a few minutes of trying to push her way through the tightly packed bodies, the raven-haired beauty sighed in frustration and moved to the perimeter of the room, glad to be out of the group of dancers. She began walking again, looking around for any one else she knew. Immediatly, she spotted her friend and ambled over to her, squeezing between a couple in the process. "Excuse me," she whispered quietly. They appeared annoyed with her and quickly separated, allowing the slender female to pass.

"Hey, Ayame!" Kagome called out to the red head facing away from her. Ayame quickly turned around at the sound of her name and her emerald eyes fell on the dark haired teen coming towards her.

"Hey, Kags! I've been looking for you all night. Where have you been?" Kagome smiled. Everyone who was anyone always showed up at the club on Saturday nights.

"Oh, I've been over there with Inuyasha, Sango, and Miroku," she replied, hooking a thumb over her shoulder. "When did you get here?"

"About an hour ago. I had to sneak out this time. My grandpa can be so overprotective." Kagome laughed at the tired expression on her friend's face.

"I'll talk to you later, okay?" the dark haired teen said, remembering she had to fetch their drinks. "See ya!"

"Later," Ayame mumbled as Kagome once again disappeared into the crowd.

Kagome sighed in relief as she finally made it to the bar. She took a deep breath, noticing how hard it was to breathe on the dance floor. "Two cokes, please," Kagome politely asked as the bar tender noticed her. He nodded and walked away to retrieve the drinks she desired.

"Hi Kagome!" The young student winced at the high pitched voice and turned to her right to see Rin's face inches from her own. Her big doe eyes stared at her.

She leaned her head back a bit, startled by the petite woman's sudden appearance. "Oh, hey Rin. What's up?" Rin leaned back and sat down on one of the available bar stools. Kagome smiled at her friend's hyper attitude.

"Not much, just waiting for Sesshy to get our drinks." Sesshomaru, or 'Sesshy' as Rin had nicknamed him, was Inuyasha's older half-brother. He was cruel and cold hearted, but Rin somehow pierced through his tough exterior. She was the only human that the full-blooded demon had come to liking. Of course he didn't mind Kagome, but he always seemed to enjoy Rin's bubbly spirit.

Just then, the bartender reappeared with Kagome's drinks. "See you later, Rin," she said as she laid some money on the counter. Rin waved in return and Kagome once again made her way through the crowd. She was really getting tired of this.

Suddenly, she felt someone tug her waist, gently guiding her over to him. "Hello, beautiful," a sweet, masuline voice called to her. Kagome glanced up to see Kouga's bright blue eyes staring back at her.

She gave him a smile. "Oh, hey Kouga." The young woman had her hands full, giving the wolf demon an opportunity to snake his arms around her waist, holding her close.

"Where have you been all night?" he asked. Kagome tugged against the barrier his arms provided, but soon found it to be futile.

"Oh, just you know ... around." Kouga eyed her suspiciously. His piercing orbs narrowed as his senses shifted through the scents around her.

"You've been with the mutt-face, haven't you? You tired of him yet?" The demon's eyes filled with hatred, but a seductive smile blessed his lips.

"Well ... um ... you know, Kouga, I have to bring these drinks to my friends." Kagome once again tried to pry out of his arms. His cocky attitude was getting tiring and she knew if Inuyasha found out about this, all hell would break loose.

"Come on, Kouga. Seriously, let me go." The dark skinned man loosened his grip on her, but had no intentions of letting her go.

"Dance with me?" he asked.

"Maybe later." Kagome's smile vanished from her lips. She knew Kouga liked her, but this was pushing it.

Inuyasha sat in their booth, ignoring the quarrel going on between Miroku and Sango. _What's taking Kagome so long? She just needed to get a couple of drinks._His eyes roamed the dance floor. The two appendages atop his head perked up as his senses took ahold of the scent coming from the direction Kagome had gone off in.

His anger flared as his golden orbs landed on the dark haired woman, wrapped in Kouga's arms. Inuyasha quickly stood up and immediately stalked towards their location. Sango and Miroku paused for a moment to notice the sudden change in their friend's attitude.

They glanced over in the direction Inuyasha had gone and worry immediately crossed their eyes. "Uh oh. This doesn't look good. Should we follow?" Sango asked, shifting her chocolate irises back towards her boyfriend. Miroku nodded in response and they both followed the half-demon, hoping he wouldn't start anything.

Inuyasha's ears picked up Kagome's voice as he made his way through the crowded room; pushing or shoving anyone that happened to be in his way. He listened to the irritation in her words as she continued to persuade Kouga to release her.

The wolf demon held the slender female close as a growl erupted from the crowd. He looked over to see Inuyasha stalking angrily towards them. "Well if it isn't the mutt-face himself. What do you want?" Kouga asked, a smirk playing on his lips.

"Get your hands off of her!" the silver haired male yelled, ripping his rival's arms away from Kagome's waist. As soon as she was free, the young woman backed up towards Sango and Miroku; who just arrived at the scene.

"Here, hold these," Kagome said, handing the brunette the drinks she had paid for earlier. "I better go calm them down before real trouble begins." The twosome nodded as they watched her sigh and head back to the bickering men.

Before she could reach them, however, Kouga punched Inuyasha square in the jaw, knocking the half-demon back a few steps. Obviously, their little spat had turned into an all out brawl. "Stop it you two!" Kagome screamed as she watched Inuyasha regain his balance and throw a punch at the dark skinned man.

Just then, Kouga's companions, Ginta and Hakkaku, ran out from the crowd to help him. This turned the odds against the silver haired male, as it was now three to one. Miroku took a step forward, prepared to step in, but was beaten to it when another silver haired dog demon appeared on the scene.

He pushed Ginta and Hakkaku to the ground with a mere glare, leaving their leader vulnerable. Inuyasha glanced up at the man standing next to him, immediately recognizing it to be his older brother.

"What the hell are you doing here?" he bluntly asked, blood dripping down the side of his mouth. The siblings may hate each other, but they couldn't stand by and watch as the other was pummeled to death; especially when the odds were against him.

Sesshomaru gave him a cold stare. "I suggest you leave while you have the chance." His icy tone echoed in the now silent room. In the mist of the confusion, the music had ceased playing and the entire club had formed a tight circle around the fight. Kagome glanced over the crowd and saw some of her friends. Ayame and Rin stood off to one side, obviously frightened by the event.

The dark haired woman was surprised, however, when she saw Kikyo in the crowd as well. A ghost of a smile played on her lips. Kagome didn't have time to ponder the thought as to why a rich person like her would be in a high school hang out such as this. Instead she turned her attention back to the objective at hand. She took a few steps forward until she was standing in the middle of the three.

"Stop it, you guys. Jeez, do you always have to fight?" Inuyasha opened his mouth to respond, but quickly shut it when she gave him a hardened glare. Kouga and Inuyasha both looked at the ground. Getting a lecture from Kagome was not their idea of fun. Sesshomaru's emotionless gaze didn't waver as he continued to stare at the mortal girl before him.

By this time, the bar manager had pushed his way through the crowd, bat in hand. "Alright, take it somewhere else." He tapped the steel weapon in his hand, preparing to use it if need be. The quarrelling duo glared at each other a final time before Kagome was able to lead Inuyasha away.

After a moment, the crowd dispersed, slightly disappointed at the change of events. The music started back up as Sango, Miroku, Kagome, and Inuyasha made their way back to the table. The dark haired teen angrily shoved Inuyasha into the booth. "Inuyasha, you can be so inconsiderate sometimes!" she screamed, crossing her arms over her chest.

The half-demon cowered at her defiant stance, but didn't dare give in so easily. His own anger boiled as he responded. "It's not my fault Kouga was all over you!"

Kagome almost smiled. She liked the way Inuyasha was so protective of her, but picking unnecessary battles was taking it a bit too far. The scowl stayed on her face. "You didn't have to go and pick a fight." Her tone was stern and determined.

"Kouga is the one who threw the first punch! What did you expect me to do? Get on my hands and knees and beg for mercy?" Inuyasha was angry at her accusations.

"If it would have prevented a fight, then yeah." The silver haired man was taken aback by her response. Kagome dropped her heated gaze from his and turned around, trying to keep her emotions in check.

During the exchange, Sango and Miroku stood by, scared by their friends' tempers. "Maybe we should get them out of here," Sango whispered to her boyfriend, drinks still in hand.

"Yeah, I don't think this night will get better anyways." Miroku sighed, knowing they had to cut the night short because of Inuyasha and Kagome's childish behavior. The brunette set down the plastic cups and took her friend by the arm, leading the young woman away from her frustration.

"Come on, Kags. Let's go back to my place." Kagome refused to go, but after some careful persuading from Sango, she reluctantly nodded her head in agreement. Miroku had managed to convince Inuyasha to leave as well, using a similar technique.

He left the half-demon alone for a minute and gave his girlfriend a peck on the cheek. "I'm sorry, my dear Sango, but we must part for now. Call you later?" The brunette blushed at his display of affection and only managed a nod. Kagome turned away, jealous towards the love they shared.

Sango pushed her friend out the club doors toward her pink convertible. The two were silent as they left the loud music and their problems behind. Inuyasha and Miroku could be seen in the rear-view mirror as Sango sped away into the night.


	2. Making Up

**Through Blood and Tears**

**Chapter 2: Making up**

Kagome ran a brush through her midnight hair a final time as she took a seat on Sango's couch. The brunette was still in the bathroom getting changed into her pajamas. Bored of waiting for her friend, Kagome turned on the television and aimlessly flipped through the channels. Sango's cell phone startled her as it vibrated on the coffee table. Without looking at the caller id, she answered. "Hello?"

"Hey, Kags," Miroku's voice floated over the ear piece. "Is Sango there?" She glanced over at the closed bathroom door.

"Yeah, but she's changing right now. Why, what's up?" The raven haired beauty once again changed the channel, her expression indifferent. Usually, the four of them would all go to one of their houses and watch movies, but under the circumstances, Kagome thought it was highly unlikely. She felt a pain in her chest as her thoughts drifted to a certain half-demon.

"I just wanted to say goodnight is all. Do you mind telling her I called?" She was snapped out of her mindless daydreaming as she tuned into what the young man had said.

"Yeah, sure, no problem." Miroku thanked her and hung up, leaving Kagome to her thoughts. _I feel horrible. It wasn't Inuyasha's fault that Kouga acted the way he did. And having Kouga behave like that made me angry and I took it all out in Inuyasha. Maybe I should call and apologize ..._

Sango stepped out of the bathroom and noticed the desolation on her friend's face. "Hey, Kags," she called out, taking a seat on the couch next to her. When Kagome gave no response, she shook her shoulder gently. "Hello, earth to Kagome?!" The dark haired woman slowly glanced up, the distant look in her eyes vanishing.

"Oh, hey. Miroku called for you." She handed over the pink cell phone and continued to flip through channels.

"Are you okay, Kagome?" Sango asked, confused at her friend's strange behavior.

"Yeah, I'm fine. Never better," she responded without taking her eyes off of the screen. The brunette hesitated at first, but decided to let it drop for the time being. She stood up and made her way to the kitchen, out of Kagome's hearing.

Sango heard someone pick up the other line as she called her boyfriend. "Hello, my dear Sango. Are you finished changing?" She blushed at his comment and silently cursed Kagome for giving the lecher too much information.

"Y ... yeah," she stuttered.

"Oh, how disappointing ..." Sango heard the feigned hurt in Miroku's voice, knowing he was thinking something perverted.

"Get your mind out of the gutter!" she practically screamed, blushing furiously.

He laughed on the other line, but quickly changed the subject. "Hey, do you mind if we come over tonight?" Sango was surprised by his sudden question.

"You and Inuyasha?" She peeked out the kitchen doorway to see Kagome curled upon the couch, depression coming off of her in waves. "I don't know ... Kags seems kind of upset."

Miroku's sighed. "Yeah, well Yash has been sulking since we left the club. You know how these two are when they're mad; they'll be holding grudges forever."

"I guess you're right." She released a deep breath as she stepped back into the kitchen. "Sure, come over. Don't tell Inuyasha that Kags is over here though, or else he'll refuse to come."

"No problem," her boyfriend replied and she could hear the smile in his voice. "I'll see you in about ten minutes. Bye."

Sango said goodbye and hung up, knowing that Kagome would be furious with her plan if she ever found out who were the culprits behind it. None the less, the brunette knew her friend would eventually get over it and bravely made her way back into the living room. She plopped down gracefully on the couch and, after a moment with nothing but silence between them, she spoke up.

"Okay, spill." Kagome acted innocent as Sango gave her a curious glare.

"What are you talking about, Sango?" the dark haired female asked, hoping she wouldn't see through her lies.

"I know when something is bothering you." Kagome mentally slapped herself. Of course Sango would know; they've been best friends since before she could remember.

The slender woman sighed in defeat, knowing Sango would get it out of her one way or another. "Okay, fine. I feel guilty about yelling at Inuyasha earlier today. I mean, it wasn't his fault that Kouga ..." she was cut off when her friend rudely interrupted her.

"You like him." Kagome stared at the brunette, stunned by her words.

"What?" she questioned, stumbling out of her stupor.

"You like Inuyasha." Her mind finally processed what Sango was trying to tell her.

"Yeah, he's a pretty cool guy when he isn't being a selfish, rude, inconsiderate ..." Sango held up her hand to stop her friend's babbling.

"No, I mean you like him as in you want to date him." Kagome stared at her as if she had grown a second head, shocked at her accusation.

"I ... I don't know what you're talking about," she stuttered in reply, not knowing if she was telling the truth. _Do I really like Inuyasha? _Kagome pondered the thought, reviewing her feelings for him. Every time he glanced her way, her heart would start pounding furiously in her chest and she would always look forward to seeing him or hearing his voice. It was true then, wasn't it? She liked Inuyasha. Kagome finally came to a conclusion as a pink tint brushed across her cheeks.

Sango watched her friend's various expressions and smirked, knowing she had been right on target. She opened her mouth to continue the conversation when the doorbell rang.

"I wonder who that is," she mumbled, innocence dripping from her breath. Already knowing it was Miroku and Inuyasha didn't mean that Kagome had a clue. She opened the door to see her smiling boyfriend and an annoyed half-demon. "What a surprise, I didn't know you guys were coming." Miroku gave her a peck on the cheek.

Inuyasha grunted. "Yeah, well if this lecher here would think about something other than what his perverted mind could come up with, we wouldn't be here in the first place."

Kagome's breath caught in her throat as she recognized who the voice belonged to. _Inuyasha ... _Her immediate thoughts were to run and hide, not wanting to face him now that she figured out her feelings. Before she could put her plan into action, however, Sango invited the guys in and closed the door behind them.

The silver haired male walked into the living room and immediately noticed the slender woman curled up on the couch, shifting her gaze to look at anything but him. _Kagome ..._ He wanted to sit by her, apologize to her for everything he had done to hurt her, but his reputation wouldn't hear of it. "What is she doing here?" he spat angrily, covering up his true feelings.

"Uh ... Miroku, do you want to help me with the snacks?" Sango asked, trying to give her bickering friends some alone time.

He didn't have the chance to respond as Sango dragged him into the kitchen by his ear. "Ow ... ow ... ow ..." her boyfriend cried out in pain.

When Miroku and Sango exited, Inuyasha and Kagome were left alone. That is, they thought they were. Little did they know that their friends were eavesdropping through the kitchen door.

"Inuyasha," Kagome started, trying to sum up the courage to apologize. Inuyasha closed the distance between them and sat down beside her, his expression softening as he saw the hurt in her eyes.

"Kagome, I'm sorry." The young woman stared, stunned by the half-demon's words. _Did he just apologize? _"I didn't mean to make you upset." Kagome's gaze dropped from his amber orbs as she forced herself not to look at him.

"No, it's my fault. I was angry at Kouga and took it all out on you." He knew she was about to cry because of the salt water scent suffocating his senses.

"Don't cry, Kags. It's okay, really. I don't know why, but that mangy wolf always gets under my skin. Then Sesshomaru was there and ... I just got all worked up." The scent of Kagome's tears faded as her expression softened.

"Did you see Kouga's face when I yelled at him?" she asked quietly, a small smile blessing her lips. Inuyasha laughed as he replayed the moment in his mind.

"Ha ha, yeah. He looked like he was about to shit his pants." He grinned at the wolf demon's frightened appearance.

Sango and Miroku exchanged a knowing glance as they backed away from the door and rummaged around for some snacks. If they came out empty handed, their friends would suspect something. They grabbed some chips and headed back out into the living room to be greeted by the twosome's laughter.

"What's so funny?" the brunette asked, setting down the snacks on a nearby table. Tears rolled down Kagome's cheeks as she clutched her stomach, trying to desperately intake oxygen. Inuyasha was in a similar state, only his visage was empty of tears. All Miroku and Sango could get out of them was something about Kouga and Sesshomaru at the club. They just shrugged their shoulder and the athletic female sat on the other couch while Miroku popped in a movie. The laughter finally died down, a few giggles escaping in between, as Miroku turned off the lights and the film started. Of course, it was a scary flick, courtesy of Inuyasha himself.

The lecher, however, wasn't as fortunate as his half-demon friend. By the end of the movie, Sango was raving on how cool it was with all the blood and gore. Kagome was almost in Inuyasha's lap, burying her head into his chest. "Is it over?" she whispered enough so his keen sense of hearing could pick up her words.

He grinned and pulled her close, causing her to blush. "Yeah, it's over."

"Inu ... yasha," she asked, bewildered. "What are you doing?"

The silver haired male smirked in reply. "I'm going to get you," he whispered in her ear, slight anger evident in his tone. Kagome was confused as to what he meant and immediately tried to pull away. She crawled to the opposite end of the couch as he followed after her. Terror filled her being when she saw the dark look in his eyes as his hands landed gently on her waist.

"Inuyasha, wait," she said, not knowing how to fend the masculine man off. She shrieked, startling the couple on the other couch who were oblivious to what Inuyasha was up to. Sango quickly glanced over to see the half-demon straddling Kagome's waist, tickling her. "Stop ... it, Inu ... yasha," she forced out through her laughs.

"Don't lie," he mumbled in her ear. "You know you want me." Sango giggled at the sight, not able to grasp what he had said moments earlier. Inuyasha stopped his attack to see who was laughing.

A deep, crimson flushed the couple's faces as they realized Sango and Miroku were still in the room. Inuyasha quickly lifted himself off of the beauty beneath him and sat at the other end of the couch, clearly embarrassed. Kagome giggled awkwardly, remembering what the half-demon had whispered in her ear.

"Oh, don't stop on our account," Miroku chimed in, a perverted grin on his face. Inuyasha growled and threw a pillow at him.

"You lecher!" Said man blocked his face from the soft cushion and his smile widened. The girls were amused by the situation.

"Come on, guys, we better get ready for bed." Sango swore she heard groans coming from everyone, but shrugged it off. She lived alone with her younger brother, Kohaku, and had become sort of a mother figure to him. Even though her guardian, Kaede, looked after them, she was mostly there because Sango wasn't a legal adult yet. Their parents died a few years prior, but thankfully Sango inherited everything her parents left behind, giving her enough money to stay and take care of her brother.

She brought out some blankets and threw them on the floor. "Okay guys, pick a spot," Sango exclaimed, waving her hand across the empty floor. Miroku groaned as he realized he wouldn't be able to get close to his girlfriend. As if she read his thoughts, her gaze hardened as she set her sights on him.

Kagome grabbed a blanket and settled down on the couch that she and Inuyasha had occupied. Sango copied the notion on the other love seat while the boys took their places on the floor. They all said their good nights and eventually fell asleep, one by one.

* * *

_The street was dark and quiet with only the sound of footsteps hitting the pavement. Kagome ran as fast as her legs would carry her. She felt someone behind her and heard a second set of footsteps chasing after her. Fear washed over her being as she struggled to keep her gaze straight ahead. She rounded a corner and then another, her house coming into view._

_She ran up the long flight of steps, almost tripping on the way. The moon illuminated overhead as she bounded into her house, slamming the door behind her. Darkness lingered in the humble abode and stillness thickened the room. "Mom? Souta, Grandpa?" Kagome called out, only coming up with deafening silence. She quietly walked around the house, terror overwhelming her. "Where is everybody?" she whispered. A noise echoed from her room and she cautiously made her way upstairs, the fluorescent glow of the moon lighting her path. Her heart pounded unevenly in her chest as she took a hold of her door knob._

_The door creaked open and the first thing she noticed was the smell of blood hanging thick in the air. It was overwhelming, even to her. Her chocolate orbs landed on the sight in front of her as horror erupted onto her face. She went numb as her eyes darted around the small room. Her mother, Souta, and grandfather were lying in the middle of her bedroom, drenched in their own blood; a single white rose lying on her mother's lifeless corpse._

_She took a step forward, trying to recover from the shock. "Mom?" she whispered, somehow knowing it would be of no use. A dark figure crouched in the corner of her room, visible only by moonlight. Kagome couldn't see his face, but she didn't waste any time as she shook her head and bolted out of the room._

_Footsteps echoed behind her as she ran down the stairs; noticing the same rhythm her pursuer's footsteps held to the figure chasing after her outside moments earlier. She suddenly began to tire as beads of sweat appeared across her brow. She whipped around the corner, ready to run out the front door, when someone caught her from behind. She screamed and lashed out at the person, desperately trying to get away. "Kagome," it whispered and she could detect the worry in his voice._

"Kagome, wake up," Inuyasha persuaded as he held her down. She thrashed against him, trying to escape his grasp. Finally, her eyes shot open to see his worried face staring down at her. Hot tears sprung into her eyes and she sat up, wrapping her arms around her savior's neck. Inuyasha allowed her to sob into his chest as he tried to comfort the frightened girl, pulling her close. "Its okay, Kagome, its okay. It was only a dream." He mumbled comforting words to her as he stroked her hair.

She whimpered quietly as Sango and Miroku continued to sleep peacefully. After a moment, her cries quieted and she lifted her head from the half-demon's chest, realizing she stained it with her tears. She glanced up into his swirling pools of amber. "I'm sorry," she whispered, sincere anguish coating her voice.

He gave her a sad smile. "Don't worry about it." Inuyasha let her go and watched as she slipped back under the covers. He turned around to find his own bed on the floor when he felt something stop him. Kagome grabbed his wrist and a small blush tinted her cheeks.

"Will you ... stay with me?" The pleading look in her eyes told the young man she was absolutely terrified. Without a word, he crawled onto the couch next to her, wrapping her into his arms. She buried her head into his chest, grasping his tee shirt with her tiny hands. Inuyasha's senses were taken over by the slender woman's scent, beginning to lull him to sleep.

_She must of had that dream again ... _Inuyasha, Sango, and Miroku all knew about Kagome's frightful dream. It had occurred countless times over the years and lately it was becoming more frequent. She had been having them on and off since the night her dad left them; two years ago.

Kagome listened to her half-demon's heartbeat and each steady breath that slipped through his lips. "Thank you," she whispered to the man beside her. Sleep over came her and soon she was drawn into a dreamless slumber.


	3. Intertwined Drama

**Through Blood and Tears**

**Chapter 3: Intertwined Drama**

The girls walked into school Monday morning, chatting happily about what the upcoming school week consisted of.

" ... the money in by next Tuesday, then we can all go." Sango finished as Kagome smiled. There was a school field trip the following week and everyone wanted to go. The teacher was cool, the class was cool, and the trip was cool. What's not to like?

"Hey, Kags, Sango. Wait up!" They stopped walking and turned to look behind them. Inuyasha and Miroku ambled into school; a perverted grin planted on the lecher's face. When they caught up with the girls, Miroku gave his girlfriend a quick peck on the cheek and, without her knowledge, decided to touch her where she didn't want to be touched.

SMACK! "Miroku, you can be such a jerk!" Sango screamed as he rubbed his injured cheek. Inuyasha and Kagome glanced over at the quarreling couple, amusement dancing in their eyes. She and Inuyasha seemed to have developed a closer relationship because of Saturday night. The four were all disappointed when Sunday came and they each had to go their separate ways; their responsibilities demanding attention. The warning bell rang, letting the students know they only had a minute to get to class. Kagome said goodbye to the boys and headed of towards her class, dragging a grumbling Sango behind.

The brunette was still fuming about her boyfriend's systematic behavior. Their first class was Japanese Language and, since the twosome were near the top of the class, decided to take a breather from the constant hassle of trying to pay attention to their instructor's monotone voice. Unfortunately for them, another young woman in the class room decided to slack off as well. Kikyo's deep brown spheres bore into the back of Sango and Kagome's heads as the bell rang.

"That wretched girl." Her eyes were dark as she studied the female student a few rows in front of her. "How is it she can be so happy?" she mused in a bitter voice. A hand gently nudged her shoulder.

"Calm down. It's only first period. Why do you despise this girl so much anyways?" Kagura asked in her usual bored demeanor, her eyes glowing red in discontent. Her dark hair had been swept up into a messy bun; her being clad with a white top and a pair of faded blue jeans.

"Because," the cold woman began, her tone steady and even. "She stole my beloved away." Her lips formed in a tight line as she spoke.

Kagome and Sango were oblivious to Kikyo's inner turmoil. "So, what happened between you and Yash Saturday night?" the brunette asked, a hint of curiosity in her eyes.

"Um ... I don't know what you're talking about," her friend replied, finding the top of her desk more interesting.

"Uh huh. Sure, that's why you and him were acting all weird yesterday morning." Kagome met her gaze, confused. "I saw the way you two looked at each other and the way you always blushed." Against her wishes, a pink tint dusted across her cheeks.

She was saved from answering the athletic woman's question as the professor brought out a stack of papers. "Pop quiz, everyone. And yes, this does count as a grade." The class groaned as she began to pass out the quizzes. Sango gave her friend a knowing look, silently telling her they would finish the conversation later. Kagome sighed in relief. She was safe, for now.

The rest of Kagome's morning classes flew by uneventful. Her and Ayame met up at her locker and began walking to lunch together.

"So, Kags ... you know Kouga?" The red head's question came out of the blue and startled the young woman.

"Yeah ... why? Do you like him?" She was excited about Ayame's secret crush on Kouga and, as the fiery female blushed, Kagome's suspicions were confirmed. "Why don't you talk to him?" she practically screamed in enthusiasm.

"He doesn't even know I exist. All he can think about is you," Ayame replied, dejectedly. She tore her emerald gaze from her friend and glanced at the ground with a frown. Kagome couldn't bear to see her friend so depressed.

"Believe me, I don't like him like that. We're just friends. I'm sure if he was offered the chance to get to know you, he'd be head over heels in no time." That seemed to brighten up Ayame's mood.

"Really? Do you think so?" Kagome nodded, glad she could help a friend in need. They shuffled through the lunch room doors and parted their separate ways. Sure, the two were friends, but they ran in different social groups. Kagome happily made her way over to her table, ignoring the stares from Kouga across the aisle.

"Hey you guys," she greeted as she sat down beside them. After a mumble of hellos from around the table, she pulled out her homemade lunch and began to eat. Almost everyone brought their lunches from home, too afraid to try the cafeteria's 'mystery meat'.

"Inuyasha," a calm and collected voice called, a slender female making her way over to their table. Miroku sighed as Sango's expression flared with anger. Annoyance touched Kagome's being as she struggled to keep a cool head. Inuyasha, however, was pissed off. Kikyo just couldn't leave him alone, could she?

"What do you want, Kikyo?" the half-demon asked as she stood beside the table, dragging someone behind her. Sango's hands clutched into tighter fists and Kagome placed a hand on her shoulder in an attempt to soothe the enraged woman's nerves.

"Oh, Inuyasha, I want you to meet someone." A look of jealousy passed her eyes as well as a feeling of hatred. The man that accompanied her stepped forward, now in plain view. His hair was jet black and his eyes a piercing red. "This is Naraku, my boyfriend." The group just stared at the woman, clearly missing the point of where the young man's introduction involved any one sitting at the table.

"Nice to meet you," Naraku said, a smirk upon his face. His voice sent chills down Kagome's spine as she noticed the way his gaze lingered on her. There was a kind of awkward silence that followed before Inuyasha broke the tension.

"Is that all?" The silver haired male gave the couple a cold stare, matching his icy voice. Kikyo barely flinched at his reaction, unsure of how to respond. She met him with one of her own hardened glares.

"I was only trying to be helpful and introduce him to my friends. He is a new student, after all." Everyone was taken aback by this, even Kagome. _Friends? With Kikyo? _No one had time to respond to her strange behavior as Kikyo took Naraku's hand and led him back towards her table, a ghost of a smile blessing her lips.

"That was ... different ..." Miroku mumbled, stunned just as much as the rest of them.

"Yeah ..." Kagome sighed. Kikyo and Inuyasha had dated the previous year, but he caught her cheating on him with Kouga; which is one of the reasons why he despises the wolf demon. Another reason would have to be the fact Kouga has taken an interest in Kagome. She always thought maybe Inuyasha had feelings for her, that's why he was so protective of her, but she always pushed the thought to the back of her mind. Now Ayame likes Kouga, which caused Kagome to burst with happiness. It would be good to get her fiery friend with a guy and get Kouga off her back. It was a win-win situation.

Apart from their not-so-closely knit group, their school was full of drama. From the flying fists, to the snarling cat fights, to the many rumors flying about; it was almost unbearable. After two years attending the school, the young students had become accustomed to it.

Kagome sighed, hoping to finish the rest of her lunch in peace. Unfortunately for her, she was about to be very disappointed ...

A/N: Thanks for the reviews! Wasn't sure if I should update again so soon, but I thought, why not? Considering the story starts out a bit slow, I guess it didn't attract many readers. The first few chapters are pretty much background information. Hope you guys liked this chapter. I know it was short. Next one will be about the same length, but after that they'll get much longer, promise! Again, please review. It helps me update faster. Thanks!


	4. Chaos

**Through Blood and Tears**

**Chapter 4: Chaos**

Halfway through the lunch period, Kouga took a moment to approach Kagome's table. Feelings of hatred were mutual between the wolf demon and Inuyasha as their fight from Saturday night was still fresh in their minds.

"Hey, Kagome," Kouga greeted, standing next to said girl and taking one of her hands in his. Inuyasha jumped from his seat and stalked over to the other side of the table. Unfortunately, Miroku wasn't able to grab him in time.

"What the hell do you want, mangy-wolf?" the half-demon snarled as he tore Kouga's hands away from Kagome.

"None of your business, dog-breath." Inuyasha's anger flared as sparks flew between the two. The raven-haired beauty stood up and tried to step between them, soon realizing her efforts were futile. "Besides, my Kagome would much rather be with me then you." Kouga smirked at his own remark and crossed his arms across his chest.

Inuyasha's temper boiled. _My Kagome?! Did that flea bag just say, My Kagome? _The half-demon couldn't take the pressure much longer and punched Kouga square in the jaw. He reeled backwards, taken off guard. A confident smile appeared on Inuyasha's face, but it quickly vanished as the wolf demon took a swing at it. A small circle formed around the quarrel as they continued to throw limbs at one another. Kagome tried to break them apart, but was afraid of getting injured herself.

Kikyo, outraged by the attack on her former beloved, immediately ran off to help Inuyasha. "Get away from him," she warned, storming after Kouga. The enraged woman was stopped in her tracks, however, as someone gave her hair a hard yank from behind. She whipped around, wincing in pain, to find a furious red head smirking at her.

"You're not going to hurt Kouga," Ayame said with a sneer before Kikyo clawed after her. Sango caught a glimpse of the cat fight and rushed to help, ready and willing to beat the living hell out of the dark haired woman. It was two against one as Miroku jumped in to break them up. The only thing he could think of, with his perverted mind, was to grope Sango. Her temper flared as she smacked her boyfriend upside the head, screaming a slur of curse words to follow.

Kagome watched in horror as her friend were being torn apart. Hakkaku and Ginta finagled their way threw the crowd. As soon as they saw their pack leader caught in a brawl with the half-demon, they jumped in to help. Kagura and Naraku fought to the front of the crowd as well and dashed after Kikyo's assailant. Before any one could stop her, a petite young woman ran from the crowd, her expression scared and her eyes pleading. "Stop it. Everyone, just please stop," Rin cried, squeezing her eyes shut to block out the images. She tripped over her own feet and fell straight into the quarrel between Kouga and Inuyasha. Kagome shut her eyes, afraid for the fate of the bubbly girl.

Not even a second later, the young woman opened her eyes just in time to see Sesshomaru dash in with lightening speed, whisking Rin off the ground just before she was pummeled by a shuffle of footsteps from the quarreling men. He glanced her over, making sure she was alright, before quickly turning around and heading in the direction of the fight. He was determined to stop this nonsense.

It was an all out frenzy between everyone as a huge circle gathered around, groups of students pointing to different points of the fight. Kagome's eyes darted between the clumps of battling flesh, anger flaring in her heart. She darted out into the middle of it all, hoping she wouldn't get hit.

"STOP IT! ALL OF YOU!" the raven haired beauty screamed at the top of her lungs. The entire room silenced, everyone stopping where they were and the group of students circling the area backed off, leaving Kagome's friends to fall victims to her fury.

"What is going on in here?" a booming voice echoed through the cafeteria. Every one's attention immediately centered in the direction the voice had come from. Fear clouded the students' faces as they realized who it was. Principal Katsu.

Nobody dared moved, afraid of the lashing his anger could give. "I want everyone up on their feet and stay where you are." The group reluctantly obeyed, ignoring the clumps of hair and blood scattered across the tiled floor. More teachers filed into the room. Obviously, the lunch ladies had become frightened by the events they witnessed and had called down every teacher that was on their lunch break.

Principal Katsu brought a walkie-talkie up to his mouth and said a few words to the deans and a few teachers. "Surround the Cafeteria; don't release any of the students until I give the okay." Nobody heard what he said except those with acute hearing; which included Inuyasha, Kouga, and Sesshomaru. They bit back a groan, knowing they were going to be in deep shit.

One of the female teachers came up behind the principal and handed him a clipboard. "Now, who is going to tell me the one behind this mess?" His beady eyes wandered over the crowd in front of him. Everyone was too afraid to speak up; either because of being the tattle-tale or facing Inuyasha and Kouga's wrath. The room kept silent.

"Well, it seems we have a bit of a problem. You see, I am determined to get to the bottom of this and when I do, everyone who was involved will be sure to pay the price." The school's staff and students knew that when the principal put his mind to it, he could accomplish anything.

He took a pen and set it against the clipboard. "I am going to take down each of your names before you can leave." The entire student body that was present in the cafeteria groaned. Their school was quite large and they only had three lunch periods to fit everyone into. This was going to take a while.

_A/N: I know, another short chapter. But this sums up the last of them. The next few chapters will be much longer. Hope you enjoyed and please review_


	5. Verdict

**Through Blood and Tears**

**Chapter 5: Verdict**

The final bell rang and the principal was finishing up interrogating the entire student body. The only person remaining was Kagome. She shifted her position in the same uncomfortable chair she had occupied for the past two hours, watching as her friends were called into his office. After a moment, they would be released back to class, giving her a reassuring smile as they left. Kagome let out a heavy sigh. This clearly wasn't her day.

The young woman glanced up as the Principal's office door finally opened and Inuyasha exited. She knew by the expression on his face he had been caught red handed. The half-demon gave her a funny grin. "Good luck. That guy is brutal." Kagome returned the smile before standing up and stretching her aching muscles. "I'll wait for you by your locker when you're done." He received an affirmative nod from his friend and quietly left the office, leaving her to face the principal alone.

She hesitantly knocked on the closed door. A mumbled reply came through the thin layer of wood, granting her access. Kagome timidly opened it, shaken up by the principal's mere presence.

"Kagome Higurashi, I presume?" the elder man questioned, glancing up from the paper work on his desk to get a better look at her. She shyly nodded her head. "Take a seat." Kagome obeyed as silence enshrouded them.

"I have a feeling you know why you're here." The female student responded with another nod of her head. "Okay, I'm just going to ask you a few questions and I want you to answer them honestly." He paused a moment to make sure she acknowledge what he was asking of her. The principal cleared his throat before continuing. "Who was involved in the fight that broke out in the cafeteria earlier today?" Kagome stayed silent. _I don't want to get anyone in trouble. What would the principal do to me if I don't talk? He can't punish me, can he?_ The elder man, noticing her lack of words, tried a different approach.

"Look," he began, rubbing the bridge of his nose with this thumb and index finger. "When I walked into the cafeteria, you were standing in the middle of all the chaos, trying to settle everything. Now, I know for a fact that you had to have seen _something_." Principal Katsu paused, allowing Kagome plenty of time to respond. Silence ensued, causing him to rub his temples, weary from the day's work.

"Okay, here's what I'm going to do," he stated, shuffling through his papers until he found the one he desired. "I've compiled a list of names together as to who might have been involved. My investigation is still under way so some of these names will change. I'll read off the list and you tell me if I missed anyone." He eyed her carefully before glancing down at the sheet before him.

"Kouga, Inuyasha, Ayame, Yuka, Hakkaku, Miroku, Ginta, Sesshomaru, Rin, Sango, and Hojo. Is there anyone else I should know about?" He raised his eyebrows in a questioning manner. The young woman took a moment to think, worry clouding her mind. She didn't know what to do. If she told him her friends weren't involved, then he'd suspect something and really turn on the heat. And if he found out she was lying ... that would be even worse. _We'll, if were going down, they're going down with us. _A smirk played on her lips.

"Well, let's see." She put a finger to her chin and raised her eyes to the ceiling. "I do recall Kikyo, Naraku, and Kagura in the midst of everything." She paused for emphasis. "Yeah, they were definitely involved."

Kagome held back a smile as she once again turned her attention to the elderly man before her. He eyed her for a moment before he jotted down the names on the sheet of paper. After a minute of silence, he glanced back up at her.

"Well, if you think of anything else, let me know. Other than that, you're free to go."

The young woman smiled and grabbed her back pack, silently closing the door as she exited. She sighed as she left the office and quietly made it down the hallway towards her locker.

Inuyasha greeted her as she opened the metal door, grabbing a few things she needed. "How did it go?" he asked, crossing his arms over his chest as he leaned up against the row of lockers.

Kagome sighed. "Well he has a list of everyone who was involved ... and you're all on it." The half-demon grunted with indifference. She shut her locker and they walked out of the school building towards his car.

"Where's Miroku and Sango? Did they leave already?" Kagome asked, glancing over at Inuyasha's content expression.

"Yeah, Sango had to go pick up Kohaku from school." He unlocked his car and the twosome slid in. The drive was silent as Inuyasha sped towards her house. The dark haired teen was deep in though as they pulled up in front of the shrine steps. "Kags?" Inuyasha called, startling her from her thoughts. "Are you okay?" Concern dripped from his molten orbs.

She gave him a half-hearted smile and nodded. "See you tomorrow, Yash," she said, giving him a wave and exiting the vehicle. Inuyasha waited until she disappeared over the top of the steps before speeding away, his mind wandering.

* * *

Everyone was on edge the remainder of the week, awaiting the Principal's punishment. Inuyasha and the gang were all sure they would be called down any day now. Thursday afternoon came and Kagome was walking to history class, Sango by her side.

"I don't get it," she was saying to the brunette, glancing at the clock overhead. "It's been three days and he hasn't called any one down yet. How long does it take to write down a few names? I mean, whoever was involved received some kind of scrape or bruise." The slender female had become frustrated with the whole thing.

"Calm down, Kags. Stop thinking so negative. Maybe he forgot?" Sango gave her a sheepish grin, only to receive a death stare. "Well, look on the bright side. You're name wasn't on the list. You probably won't get in trouble." This seemed to calm her nerves a bit, but it was quickly relinquished as Kikyo came into view.

Her icy demeanor threatened Kagome as her cold tone reached out to them. A ghost of a smile played on her lips. "Bitch," she whispered as she passed by. The raven haired beauty stopped to turn around and give her a piece of her mind, when Sango stopped her; oblivious to the exchange that had just occurred.

"This is my class, see you after school, Kags." The brunette gave her a reassuring smile as she disappeared inside a nearby classroom. This left Kagome alone to wander the almost empty halls. A bad feeling formed in the pit of her stomach as she finally reached her history class; entering as the bell sounded. She grabbed a seat in the front row and awaited the teacher's instructions.

The teacher opened her mouth to speak, but was immediately silenced when a knock sounded on the now closed door. She removed the glasses that framed her eyes, resting them on top of her head. She sighed and opened the door, revealing a student. The pale, sickly looking kid handed the teacher a pink slip of paper and quietly made his exit. The blond female glanced over the sheet before crossing the room to her desk.

"Kagome Higurashi, you have a pass." The elder woman's kind voice echoed across the classroom. Kagome stood up, her heart pounding in her chest. "Grab your things." The professor signed her initials on the pink slip, signaling that the pass was legit. The female student took it from her, mumbling a thank you, and exited the rom. The door shut silently behind her and she heard the teacher's voice as she began the day's lesson.

The dark haired teen looked down at the slip of paper in her hands as she walked down the silent hallway. Her eyes scanned it twice, not sure if she should feel relief or worry. It was from the principal, demanding her to his office immediately. She heeded his request and allowed her gaze to travel the path in front of her.

As if it were second nature, she shuffled around one corner and then a moment later, she whipped around another one. Footsteps approached her from behind, startling her when she felt a hand gently grasp her shoulder. She jumped and covered her mouth, silencing a scream.

"Hey, Kags," a masculine voice whispered behind her. She turned around to meet her visitor eye to eye. When she saw the amber eyes staring back at her, the fear she felt turned into anger.

"Inuyasha!" she hissed, giving him a light slap in the arm. "Don't do that to me. What are you trying to do, give me a heart attack?" The half-demon smirked, pleased with himself for annoying her.

She faced forward once more and stalked off to the Principal's office, the silver haired male following her. The twosome walked in silence for a moment before Kagome broke it. "Why are you wandering the halls?" she asked, curiosity in her voice.

He held up a pink slip of paper, identical to Kagome's. "You got one too?" he asked, noticing the recognition dawn on her visage. She held up her pass as well. They both smiled as the office door came into view. Inuyasha opened it and bowed. "Ladies first," he said as she strutted through the door, head held high. He chuckled before following her in.

The secretary only glanced at their slips before handing them back. "You can both go into the office now." Inuyasha and Kagome stole a glance at each other as the secretary popped gum. Something was up. Usually you had to wait until the principal summoned you and when he did, you went in individually.

Inuyasha opened the door, surprised at what was on the other side. Sango, Kikyo, and Ayame sat in the three chairs in front of the Principal's desk; they were eyeing each other with hatred. Miroku stood behind his girlfriend protectively. On the opposite wall, Kouga, Hakkaku, and Ginta were huddled in a small group. In the other corner, Sesshomaru and Rin stood together as Kagura lazily stared out the single window in the room. Hojo, one of the school's hottest guys, stood off to the side, glancing around at the occupants.

Everyone was in the midst of their own quiet conversation, but words were hushed and all eyes turned to stare at the two new comers. A small blushed tinted Kagome's cheeks as Inuyasha led her over to where their friends were. Sango gave them a small smile as another person stepped through the door. Naraku's menacing eyes roamed over the room, seeing the small crowd gathered there. A low growl sounded in Inuyasha's throat as he noticed the dark haired man's eyes linger on Kagome.

The principal sat behind his desk and cleared his throat, grabbing every one's attention. "Now that you're all here, we have a subject of punishment to go over." The room erupted into groans and angry outbursts. Kagome watched as everyone began talking at once, trying to preach their innocence.

After a few minutes, the principal was able to quiet everyone down by throwing out a few threats. "Now, as you all know, a fight broke out in the cafeteria a few days ago. I have sufficient enough evidence to prove that you were all involved." He held up his hands before another outburst could occur. "I'm not going to tolerate shouting. I have gone over everything thoroughly enough. There is no swaying my judgment." The students kept their emotions in check, silently pleading for him to continue. "Now, I've come to a decision that you will all have detention at seven o'clock on Saturday night. With the severity of the circumstances, you will also take half you lunch period to take a study period in one of the classrooms."

He paused, letting it sink in. That was a big mistake on his part as everyone immediately started yelling again, pointing fingers at one another, trying to come up with excuses. The only ones staying silent were Kagome and Sesshomaru. This gave her a moment to think. _Well, why am I here? _Her eyes roamed over the angered faces of her classmates, finally landing on Hojo. _And what is he doing here? He wasn't even involved in the fight._

The principal sighed and rubbed his temples, trying to avoid the headache that had formed. When the noise only grew, the principal took it into his own hands. "QUIET!"

Everyone went silent. They turned their attention to the principle; his face a crimson red. "I will have no more outburst from anyone or else I will extend the punishment. You're lucky I didn't allow the police to investigate or the lot of you would be in trouble with the law." He took a deep breath to calm his nerves. "You are all to report to room 1304 tomorrow during the first half of your lunch period. There, you will be informed on what your tasks will be and what is to occur on Saturday." He took a minute to allow his temper to simmer down before he continued. "You are all dismissed back to your class." He waved his hand, signaling everyone to take their leave.

The air thickened with tension as everyone silently left the room. Kagome stood there with a bewildered look on her face. "You coming, Kags?" Inuyasha asked, giving her arm a slight tug.

"Um, yeah. I'll be there in a sec." Her gaze didn't waver from the principal, who was now hunched over his desk writing something down. The half-demon hesitated before proceeding through the door. When everyone was gone from the room, Kagome timidly approached the elder man's desk.

"Um, excuse me, sir?" she asked, clutching her books to her chest. He glanced up at her, allowing her to continue. "I'm a little confused. Why am I getting punished? I was just ..."

The principal cut her off. "I have quite a few people placing you in the middle of the fighting and at least three that say you took part in it." Kagome could only stare at him with disbelief.

"But ..." she tried to get out an explanation, but the principal interrupted her once more.

"No buts. My hands are tied." By this time the principal had stopped writing and folded his hands in front of him, leaning on his elbows for support. Kagome knew there was no point arguing and sulked out the door.

She was in a daze as she handed her pink pass over to the secretary's desk. The elder woman sighed her in initials on it and handed it back before Kagome slowly walked out into the hallway, deep in thought.

The dark haired teen wasn't surprised to see everyone milling about in the hallway. She shuffled over to where Inuyasha, Miroku, and Sango where waiting. In the corner of her eye, Kagome noticed Kikyo, Naraku, and Kagura standing off to the side, quietly talking amongst themselves. It appeared as if Kouga and his friend had left the school. Only a half hour of school remained anyways, why bother going back to class?

"That was ridiculous," Inuyasha grumbled as she came within hearing range. "Why the hell should we all suffer because of that mangy wolf?" Sango and Miroku sighed in frustration.

"You were the one that threw the first punch," Miroku calmly pointed out. He let out a yelp as Inuyasha smacked him over the head.

"What I don't understand is why Kagome got in trouble," Sango said, ignoring the immature boys. "She didn't even do anything wrong. She should be awarded for trying to stop it." The three of them looked at Kagome, hoping for an explanation. The slender female sighed and told them about her recent conversation with the principal.

After she finished, the brunette glanced over at Kikyo's group with a heated death glare. "Who wants a bet they had something to do with it?" Everyone shifted their gaze to said group, only to see smirks on the threesome's faces.

"That bitch!" Kagome balled her fists at her side and Sango had to hold her back from going after her. They could tell the angered woman was truly upset, seeing as how she rarely swore unless she was pissed about something. Kikyo acknowledged her sudden change in attitude and she smiled, leading her posse out of the school.

A moment passed as Kagome's anger simmered down. As they waited, the four friends discussed the recent events. Hojo had gone back to class and apparently everyone was confused as well as to why he was being punished. Sesshomaru and Rin had headed off in the direction of the parking lot and Ayame had gone to her locker.

Kagome glanced at the clock on the wall and noticed they had fifteen minutes left. She sighed as the whispers came to an end; a silence enshrouding them. "Let's go, I'm too worked up to go back to class anyways," the dark haired teen said as she put a hand on her forehead. She walked towards the exit as her friends watched after her, their mouths hanging open. After all, Kagome had always been the good girl; good grades, good attitude, never getting in trouble. It was so unlike her to ditch class.

Inuyasha, Miroku, and Sango exchanged a glance before they followed her out into the sun.

A/N: Another chapter down. Yes, I made this one longer by combining two chapters. I promise that the rest of them will be as long as possible. So press that little button at the bottom of the page and send me a review. It'll helpt me update faster, I promise!

Preview for next chapter: The group arrives for detention on Saturday. When the teacher takes a bathroom break that last much longer then it should, the gang decide to ... (do you seriously think I'm going to give that away?)

Our intro is over now and the real terror shall begin! Mwahahaha!


	6. Saturday Detention

**Through Blood and Tears**

**Chapter 6: Saturday Detention**

"Kagome, time to get up." The young woman covered her head with her blanket, hoping the voice would disappear. She felt the soft cotton ripped off of her, leaving her shivering. "Come on, dear. It's already eleven o'clock. Time to breathe in the day." Kagome moaned at the sound of her mother's nagging voice. It was Saturday and she was in no mood to get out of bed.

Her study period during lunch yesterday didn't go well and she was up late last night talking to Sango. Her mom walked out of the room as she rose to a sitting position, rubbing the sleep out of her eyes. The older female had thrown open the curtains, allowing sunlight to pour into the bland room. Kagome swung her feet over the edge of the bed and stretched, yawning in the process. She slowly stood and went to her closet to browse for an outfit for the day.

When she had gone to room 1304 the previous day, the room was already in chaos. The teacher finally had to call down some help and the entire classroom was pretty much kept under house arrest. Inuyasha and Kouga were placed at separate sides of the room; giving each other death stares as the professor spoke. Apparently, they all had to write a one-thousand word essay about behavior on school grounds. So the group spent the entire hour thinking up ideas while their teacher went over the information for Saturday night detention.

Their small group and a teacher were going to be the only ones present considering it was a Saturday. The students would arrive in the same classroom promptly before seven and take their assigned seats. Their time would be spent working on their essays until they were free to go at ten. To every one's surprise, the school had already informed the student's parents of the predicament and had gotten the okay to proceed with their punishment.

Kagome grabbed her desired outfit from her closet and went into the bathroom, preparing for a nice hot shower. She absently allowed her thoughts to wander. _I wonder what Inuyasha is doing right now?_ She turned a shade of red as she realized who her thoughts consisted of. Shaking it off, the raven haired beauty jumped out of the shower, changed, and dried her hair; all the while trying to keep her thoughts away from the half-demon her heart desired. When she finished, the smell of pancakes greeted her as she opened her bedroom door and she quickly ran into her room to finish getting ready before she allowed herself to be mixed up in the sweat aroma.

The dark haired teen glanced at her being in the full length mirror, taking in her appearance. She chose to wear a blue tank top with a white, long sleeved spring jacket. Her legs were clothed in white capris that reached her knees. Her ebony hair fell softly over her shoulders as she brushed it for a final time. Nodding her head in approval, Kagome made her way downstairs with a smile on her face.

"Morning mom," she greeted as she sat down at the table, waiting patiently for her breakfast. Her mother smiled a hello as she slid a plate of pancakes in front of her. Even though it was almost noon, Naomi always expected her daughter to be a late riser and prepared breakfast for her during lunch hours.

Kagome happily shoved the food into her mouth, allowing the delicious taste to bathe her tongue. "Where's Souta?" she asked, even though she had a sneaking suspicion as to where her younger brother could be.

"He's out playing with his friends. He actually gets up on time." She gave her mom a knowing smile as she finished up her meal. Her phone vibrated and she ripped it out from the front pocket of her pants. The caller id notified her it was Sango.

"Hey, what's up?" Kagome answered.

"Not much. You want to hang out with the guys today before detention?" She replied with a yes and was told to meet them at Sango's house in ten minutes. Kagome hung up the phone and cleaned away her plate.

"Mom, I'm going to hangout with my friends today before detention, so I probably won't be home all day, okay?" Her mother gave her a nod in approval as Kagome ran out of the kitchen towards her room. She grabbed her school bag and slipped on her white tennis shoes before running out the door. Naomi shouted a goodbye as her daughter started up the engine and sped towards the brunette's house; excited about the day, not know what the night would hold for her.

* * *

It was ten to seven as Inuyasha pulled up in front of Shikon High. Kagome, Miroku, and Sango all piled out of his car as they followed the half-demon up the front steps. An eerie feeling crept up their spines at the sight of the almost empty parking lot. The foursome shrugged it off and entered through the school doors. A bang echoed off the walls as the doors slammed closed behind them. Their path was lit only by a few dim lights, kept on during the night for security purposes. No one spoke as they continued to walk side by side to their destination.

"HI YOU GUYS!" The girls jumped a foot in the air as Miroku and Inuyasha turned around, their hearts pounding in their chests. Relief washed over them, followed by anger, as they saw who startled them.

"Rin! Are you trying to give us all a heart attack?" Sango shouted as she took in her friend's sudden appearance. The petite girl looked hurt at the comment as everyone took a few breaths, trying to calm their racing pulse. Rin mumbled an apology, her lips still holding a trace of a smile.

The bubbly female continued walked towards 1304, humming softly to herself. Kagome stared on in disbelief as her friends followed suite. The group soon shook it off, letting out a few nervous chuckles, unaware of the eyes watching their every movement.

Everyone talked amongst themselves as the four friends entered the half-filled classroom. Kagome's Japanese Language teacher was propped on her desk, ignoring the conversations as she buried her head in a book. The dark haired teen glanced around the room to see her fellow captives; Rin had joined Sesshomaru in the left back corner, Kouga and his friends sat in the middle to the right, Kikyo and her posse sat behind them, Hojo sat off to the side by himself, and Ayame had taken a seat in the front row. The red head gestured to the four seats surrounding her.

Kagome happily obliged as she led her group over to where the female wolf demon waited. She set down her bag as she took her seat. Ayame immediately struck up a conversation with the group, drifting from one topic to the next. The professor set down her book as the clock struck seven o'clock.

"Alright, class. Tonight you'll be working on that essay assignment you were given yesterday. You will work diligently for the next three hours." Everyone stopped their conversations as they turned their attention to the teacher. A few groans sounded, but the classmates complied none the less.

* * *

Kagome glanced up at the clock, reading the time to be half past seven. She had finished half of her rough draft, but felt as if forever had gone by. Her hand cramped up moments earlier and her train of thought had dispersed, leaving the young woman begging for inspiration. When she realized it had only been thirty short minutes, she sighed and laid her head against her desk. This was not her idea of a fun Saturday night. She would much rather be at the club ...

The blond professor suddenly closed her book and stood. "Class, I'm going to use the restroom. Mind your work while I'm gone. I'll only be a few minutes." With that, she disappeared through the classroom door.

"Damn it! This is fucking ridiculous!" someone shouted through the small room. All eyes shifted to see Kouga staring back at them. "What? You know you're all thinking the same thing." He crossed his arms and stuck his nose up in the air. Kagome only sighed, turning back to her essay.

A few moments later, she glanced up at the clock as it read ten to eight. I wonder where Ms. Kimiko is ... She quietly glimpsed her surroundings to look at her classmates. Hojo was busy scribbling on his paper, Sesshomaru was expressionless as he glared at Rin and her hyperactive conversation, Kikyo and her friends were gossiping quietly, Kouga was bragging about himself to his pack, and Kagome's group was silently working.

"Inuyasha," she whispered to the half-demon beside her as he stared off into space. His amber eyes met hers as she called his name. "I wonder where Ms. Kimiko is," she continued after she had his full attention. The silver haired man only shrugged and went back to his daydreaming. The young woman was one to worry about things such as this. If the teacher was gone, it meant they didn't have to work on their papers, giving them plenty of free time.

Kagome only sighed and pulled out her ipod. She slipped in the headphones and began to play her favorite music, mindlessly drawing on the rough draft of her essay. Time seemed to fly as she became lost in the beats of her music. When she looked up again, the clock read to be half past eight. She turned off her music player and put it away. Now she was getting anxious.

She quietly rose from her seat and shuffled to the door, opening it to glance out into the empty hallways. Inuyasha noticed her strange behavior and eyed her suspiciously. "Kags, what are you doing?" Kagome, startled by his voice, let go of the door handle and caused it to slam shut. Everyone turned their attention to where the sound had come from.

A pink blush dusted her cheeks and her heart pounded in her chest as every pair of eyes in the room stared at her. "I was just wondering where the teacher went, that's all. It's been an hour and she still isn't back. I was just worried."

"Wait, you mean we have been sitting here like idiots the entire time the teacher was gone?" Kouga stated, uncrossing his arms. "We could have left the school by now." His fellow cell mates watched as he threw his arms up in the air for emphasis. Everyone knew if you avoided punishment, the consequences would become more severe.

"Maybe we should go look for her ..." Kagome mused as she stole another glance towards the door.

"You know? I think Kags is right," Sango piped up, rising from her seat. "It is kind of strange that Ms. Kimiko hasn't returned yet."

"Are you stupid? As long as the wench is gone, we don't have to do the damn essay," Inuyasha chimed in, a scowl on his face. For once, dare he say it, he agreed with the flea bitten wolf.

"And what else are we doing that is so exiting?" the dark haired teen asked, irritation in her voice and her hands on her hips. "We aren't doing anything anyways, so ..." The brunette saw the glint in her eyes.

"What are you thinking?" She eyed her friend, knowing Kagome was the one to come up with some kind of amusement.

"So why don't we go look for her?" she asked hesitantly, receiving only bewildered stares in response.

Kikyo chuckled. "You want us to go out into an empty school, with dark hallways, and search for a teacher?" Kagome nodded her head. Her rival's icy demeanor stood strong for a moment before a small smile blessed her lips. "I'm game."

Everyone was shocked at Kikyo's agreement to Kagome's plan. The girls had always held some sort of rivalry against one another since they met; why would that change now?

"Okay ..." Kagome said slowly, unsure of Kikyo's answer. "Who wants to join us?"

A low rumble sounded through the room as they all agreed. Hojo glanced around nervously before speaking up. "Well the teacher said she would be back, shouldn't we all stay here? I mean, if she comes back ..." His words were cut off by Kouga's fist meeting his head. He yelped from the contact as the wolf demon grunted.

"Kouga!" Kagome reprimanded before glaring at him. He only crossed his arms and looked away.

"So, Kags, how do we go about this?" Ayame asked, trying to change the subject.

"Well, let's split up into teams. That way, we won't be alone." The slender woman smiled as she pictured the groups in her head. "Then we can split up the school between us."

Inuyasha was shocked to say the idea didn't sound that bad. Besides, it would get them out of doing the damn essay and if the teacher found out, they could say they were worried and went looking for her. He smirked.

Kagome glanced over at her classmate's faces, getting an approval from everyone except Hojo. "So what are the groups going to be?" Kagura asked, speaking up for once.

"Well, since we all have a few enemies in here," Kagome replied, eyeing everyone with a knowing look. "We should probably make sure we don't put them in the same group."

A nervous laugh erupted from the brunette. "So tell us, Kags, how do you expect to accomplish that?"

She walked over to the blackboard and picked up a piece of chalk. Writing every one's names on the board, she started drawing lines, getting her pairings situated.

"Well let's see here, Inuyasha doesn't get along with Kouga, Ayame doesn't get along with Kikyo ..." Kagome mumbled as everyone gathered around, trying to catch a glimpse of what she was up to. "There," she finally announced, a smile blessing her lips as she set the white stick down. The group studied her handy work, some letting out a few giggles. Their names were listed and Kagome had configured it to see who shouldn't be with whom. Lines scattered the blackboard and scribbles were drawn here and there. Everyone exchanged looks, confused and wondering if anyone understood it.

"Uh, Kagome," Inuyasha started, stepping forward. "What does this mean?" he asked, scratching his head with one hand as he pointed to the board with the other.

Said girl only sighed. There was so much drama between the gang that she couldn't put it into a neat configuration if she wanted to. "Basically, it shows who despises who So let's pick teams." They gave her another questioning glance as she turned her back to the board.

Kagome wrote down names on the side, circling them as she went. It took about a minute before she stepped back and revealed her handiwork. The students huddled around, trying to get a glimpse; as if they were all trying to see if they shared classes with their friends.

Inuyasha, Kagome, Sango, Miroku

Kikyo, Kagura, Naraku

Kouga, Ginta, Hakkaku, Ayame

Sesshy, Rin, Hojo

Sesshomaru quirked an eyebrow in the young woman's direction, angered by the way his name had been displayed. If it had not been for Rin's presence, he wouldn't have thought twice about killing the mortal girl. A few complaints were heard since Kouga wanted to be with Kagome, Kikyo wanted to be with Inuyasha, and so on and so forth. Luckily, Kagome stood her ground. "This is the only way the teams will work. I checked the math."

"Whatever," Kouga mumbled, crossing his arms. Hojo sighed. _I don't even want to go and Kagome pairs me up with a hyper active girl and a cold hearted demon. Why me?_ The dark haired teen only smiled, please with her control over the situation.

"Okay you guys; let's figure out who will go where." She gestured over to the school map that hung on the wall, everyone following her movement. The next few minutes were spent arguing who would go where and what not. After it had been settled, it was 8:43 and Kagome took charge once more. "Let's all meet in the gym at 9:30. If anyone finds Ms. Kimiko, explain the plan to her and meet us up in the gym, got it?" Everyone mumbled a reply. Little did they know what awaited them as they split up and stepped out of the sanctuary of their classroom.

A/N: Yay! Another long chapter! And I didn't even have to combine chapters this time. lol. So now we begin the actual plot line of the story. Hope I'm starting to spook you a bit. Let me know what you think of it so far. So please R&R and I'll update as soon as I can. Thanks!


	7. Separation

_Disclaimer: I do not own any of the Inuyasha characters, etc. No copyright infringement is intended._

**Through Blood and Tears**

**Chapter 7: Separation**

Kouga and his companions had gone off in their own direction, disappearing from the rest of the group. The hallway was dimly lit; their footsteps the only sound. As the foursome ventured through the silent passage, they checked each of the class room doors; most of them locked. The few that weren't didn't contain anything of their interest. The wolf demons rounded a corner to glimpse a door linking them to the outside world.

"Its about time," Kouga grunted as he walked on ahead.

"What are you doing?" Ayame asked, slight irritation wavering in her voice.

"What does it look like? I'm getting the hell out of here." He smirked before finding the door to be locked. "Damn." He sighed as he turned to face his pack.

"Now what?" Ginta questioned when he noticed no other hallway they could turn down.

"Should we go back?" Hakkaku chimed in, already bored of the little game they were playing.

"What about that door?" the red head volunteered as her emerald eyes fell on a door to her right. Beyond it was a staircase leading to the second floor. According to the school map, that particular staircase led to a few rooms used only for staff members.

"We might as well try it," the man with the mohawk stated as Kouga ambed towards the wooden barricade. He turned the rusted knob and, to everyone's surprise, it opened. They exchanged a bewildered glance.

"Uh, m-maybe we shouldn't go up there," Ginta stuttered, glancing towards the dark stairwell.

Kouga grunted. "If you're so afraid, then why don't you stay here?" He crossed his arms and glared at his two male companions. The two pack members exchanged a look before their leader took the first steps towards the darkness, Ayame following close behind.

* * *

"Okay, how about something white?" Rin's cheerful voice rang through the gloomy passage way.

"The wall," Hojo responded with a blank expression, no enthusiasm present in his tone.

"You guessed it again! You're good at this!" the petite woman commented, excitement evident in her posture. Sesshomaru, Rin, and Hojo had been wandering their part of the school for some time and hadn't seen anyone. The few classrooms they came across were locked so Rin had thought up a little game to pass the time.

The dog demon stayed silent during their 'adventure', except for the few times he had to tell the bubbly woman to keep her voice down. His graceful movements came to an abrupt halt when they found an exit. "I wonder if it's open," Rin mused. Ignoring the intelligent student's glares, she went over and gave the handle a forceful tug. To her disappointment, it was locked from the outside. She sighed and swiveled to face the group. "Now what?"

The three were becoming frustrated. Every other door leading outside they had come across had been locked. Kagome's little game had lost excitement long ago and the silver haired demon had become aggravated with his companions. Hojo glanced around nervously; his eyes darting from one dark corner to the next. "Maybe we should go back. The others are probably waiting.

Suddenly, a loud crash echoed through the long hallway and Hojo, with a look of terror, sped off in the direction they had come from. Rin glanced beside her to realize she had accidentally knocked over a few folding chairs; which had been leaning against the wall next to the door. The petite woman shifted her gaze back to where the male student once stood. "Wait, Hojo!" But it was too late; the brunette vanished from sight. Sesshomaru turned around and began retreating towards the gym, his face emotionless.

The bubbly woman had lost all her usual peppy attitued and sighed, following the dog demon through the hallways. As her feet softly padded the tile, the feeling of being watched took over her slender frame. She glanced up to see Sesshomaru's back to her. _Why can't I shake this feeling?_ Her chocolate orbs swiveled to the right and left of her, but didn't notice anything out of the ordinary. None the less, Rin huddled closer to the silver male before her, knowing Sesshomaru would protect her from any harm.

* * *

SMACK

"Can't you keep your hands off of me?" Sango questioned, irritation evident in her voice. She crossed her arms over her chest and glared at the man before her.

"But Sango, I was only trying to calm your fears." Her boyfriend gave a nervous laugh as he rubbed the red handprint gracing his cheek. The brunette ignored his excuse and continued on the path in front of her.

"I'm getting the feeling that splitting up with Kagome and Inuyasha was a bad idea," she mumbled nervously. Miroku and Sango had parted ways with their friends when the four of them had come across a fork in the hallway. Unfortunatly for Sango, she was forced to go with the lecher.

The hallway lights dimmed slightly. It was an old senior wing that hadn't been used in quite sometime because of the dangerous electrical wiring, leakage, and so forth. It was currently being used as a temporary storage area.

The athletic woman glanced around her, a shiver creeping up her spine. She wrapped her arms around her shaking frame in an attempt to calm her nerves. "Are you okay?" Miroku asked, sincere worry in his tone.

"Yeah, I'm fine," Sango replied. He saw through her lie, however, as her voice shook. "Maybe we should head back now and meet up with the others."

Miroku saw the fear in his girlfriend's eyes as they darted around in a terrified manner. "Look, the hallway can't go on forever. Let's just finish exploring this one and then we can head back." After receiving a reluctant nod from Sango, he absently tugged the handle of a nearby door, convinced it would be locked. But when it opened, the twosome stared into the darkness before stealing a glance at one another. Miroku tugged on her hand, giving her some reassurance, silently persuading her to follow.

Semidarkness enveloped them as moonlight guided their way. Sango could faintly see some desks and shelves. Her being clung to Miroku as the couple made their way around the room. "Sango, go see if there's a light we could turn on. I can't see a thing." Hesitantly, the brunette released his hand and took a few steps back towards the door. Her hand roamed over the damp wall until she found a switch. When she flipped it, nothing happened.

"Shit, I forgot all the light switches are connected to the main circuit breaker," Miroku said, a hint of embarrassment in his voice. "I guess if we want any light, we'd have to go down to the basement." Sango shuddered at the thought as she stealthy made her way back to her beloved, grasping his hand in hers.

The dark haired man dragged her towards the teacher's desk near the front of the room. They were silent as he rummaged through the things on the large, wooden desk. _There has to be a flashlight or something around here somewhere in case of emergencies. _As if reading his thoughts, Sango began helping in the search.

"Here we go," Miroku exclaimed, pulling out a long black flashlight that was hidden in one of the unlocked drawers. Before he had a chance to switch it on, a glass-breaking crash sounded from the back of the room. Sango screamed and grabbed onto her boyfriend's chest. Miroku's hand snaked around the athletic female's waist, holding her close in a protective manner.

He flipped on the flashlight, the beam of light scanning the room. It took a moment, but the soft glow finally landed on a broken test tube on the floor next to one of the counteres. A small black shadow scurried across the floor, causing Miroku to sigh in relief.

"Sango, it's only a rat," he said matter-of factly, as if he wasn't terrified moments ago. He felt a shiver run through the brunette's body and turned to look her in the eyes. It was only then they realized how close they were. The couple's eyes bore into one another as they were entranced. A minute passed; their gazes unwavering.

A light blush touched Sango's cheeks. "Um ... we should ... probably head back ... now," she stuttered in her embarrassment. She tried to drop her gaze, but found it futile as the violet hue of Miroku's eyes drew her into their depth. Her heart hammer loudly against her chest as his face came closer to hers.

Sparks jolted through the female's body as their lips tenderly met. The young woman was startled at first, but gently kissed him back. Her hand wrapped around his neck, causing their moment to become more heated; passionate. He set the flashlight on the desk beside him and his lecherous hands circled Sango's waist, bringing her closer if possible.

Miroku enjoyed the sensation that flowed from his scalp to his fingertips as the brunette ran her dainty fingers through his dark locks. He finally tore his lips away from her and gave her butterfly kisses along her jaw, earning low groans from her throat. "Mir ... oku ... stop ..." Sango gasped, trying not to loser herself to the sweet torture.

Ignoring the woman's plea, he picked her up by her thighs and sat her on top of a desk; giving her another kiss in the process. Their tongues teased each other as Miroku explored every aspect of her mouth, hearing her moan in delight. Before they completely lost themselves to lust, Sango broke the kiss; panting heavily.

"What's the matter, dear?" Miroku whispered in a seductive tone. He trailed kisses down the column of her slender throat as she settled her hands against his chest.

"Miroku ... we shouldn't be doing this ..." Sango managed to choke out, trying to recover her stolen breath. The perverted man was about to protest when a scream sounded through the hallways. The dazed couple immediately whipped their heads towards the door.

"That sounded like Kagome," Sango whispered fearfully. Miroku stepped back and grabbed the flashlight as the brunette slid down from the desk. Holding each other's hands, they ran towards the sound of the piercing scream.

* * *

"Damn, this door is locked too," Inuyasha complained as he tugged against the exit door. So far, every door they had come across was locked, including the one they used to enter the school. "I'm getting a bad feeling about this." The half-demon let go of the handle and turned to face his female companion.

Her chocolate orbs widened at his statement. Fear coated her aura as she hugged her arms around herself. "Inuyasha, maybe we should go find the others and head back."

Inuyasha prepared to retort with a sarcastice remark when he noticed her slender frame shaking. "Hey, Kags, are you okay?" he asked, the anger vanishing from his amber eyes. He held out a clawed hand towards her, worry etched into his expression.

"Yeah, I'm fine," the dark haired teen replied.

The young man grasped her hand and gave it a comforting squeeze. "This was your idea," he teased. "Stop being such a baby." Kagome readied her voice to yell at him, but when she saw his infamous smirk, her heart instantly melted. She smiled and narrowed her eyes playfully. He tore his molten pools of gold away from her and glanced around.

His wandering eyes stopped as they landed on a steel door to their left. No windows were evident and it seemed the handle had a bolted lock. The faded sign hanging from the door told them beyond it was the basement. Fear erupted into the coupld as they realized the lock had been broken. "Inuyasha," Kagome whispered. She took a few steps closer to the half-demon until their sides touched.

"Come on, Kags, let's check it out." Inuyasha tugged on her hand and motioned towards the basement door. When she didn't budge, he gave her a comforting smile. "Its okay. I'm right here." It took a moment, but the young girl finally gave into his reassuring words and followed him into the darkness.

The door creaked as Inuyasha slowly pushed it open. Kagome took out her cell phone and used it as a soft light to guide the way. They inched their way cautiously down the stairs that met them at the entrance. The wooden steps creaked beneath their weight with every step taken. Obviously, no one had cared enough to make some repairs.

Inuyasha brushed away a cobweb as he took another step forward, the raven haired beauty slightly behind him; grasping his hand. When the couple reached the bottom, the half-demon's senses picked up a sickening scent. It overcame his nose and his stomach lurched. "Kagome, maybe we should head back. I don't like the smell of this place." His female companion was willing to return to ground level as soon as he said the word, but for some reason, the two of them pushed forward.

Desperatly wanting to find the source of the scent. Inuyasha shuffled towards the direction it lead him. He took a few steps into the dark cellar as he grasped Kagome's cell phone from her and waved it through the darkness before him. The smell was overwhelming and he could barely stand.

The silver haired teen stopped dead in his tracks when his eyes landed on the sight before him. The cause of the strange scent stared him in the face. "Kagome, lets turn around," he begged. His usually calm orbs had widened with fear and his hands shook with terror.

"What is it, Inuyasha?" Kagome asked, laying a comforting hand on his arms. He tried to block her, to shield her eyes from the horror beyond him. But his actions were taken too late as her dark brown eyes landed on the sight in front of her and she let out a scream.

_A/N: Hope you guys aren't too mad at me about the wait. I've been working for the past seven days and haven't found time to update. I'd like to thank everyone for all of the AMAZING reviews I received! And great job to **inuyashafan424567** for guessing part of the plot/story. I really hope you enjoyed this chapter. And yeah, thats right, I left it at a cliff hanger. lol. Please let me know what you think of it and I hope to update within the next week, depending on my work schedule. Thanks!_


	8. The Horror Begins

_Disclaimer: I do not own any of the Inuyasha characters, etc. No copyright infringement is intended._

**Through Blood and Tears**

**Chapter 8: The Horror Begins**

Blood.

The sickening scent invaded the half-demon's senses, causing him to cover his nose with a clawed hand. The red liquid covered the walls and spilled onto the floor. It bathed the small cellar. Kagome's Japanese Language teacher was sprawled out in the middle of the room, or what was left of her anyways. Her stomach had been torn apart, her limbs twisted in obscene ways. A scream was planted on her face as fear coated her lifeless eyes.

Kagome continued to stare in horror and shock before her companion's body blocked her view. There was no mistaking it, though; she saw what had only been in her dreams. A single white rose had been placed upon the teacher's corpse. Inuyasha wrapped his arms around her and brought her into a tender embrace as she numbly gripped his shirt. "Inu ... yasha," she whispered, trying to comprehend the reality of the situation. "We have to make sure she's okay. We have to get her some help." The young woman tried to pull away from him, but Inuyasha held her arms firmly. She struggled against his grip, trying to catch sight of the scene behind him.

"Kags," Inuyasha warned, trying to get her attention. "Kagome, look at me." Reluctantly, her eyes met his. "It's too late. We have to go." After a moment, the stunned teen nodded her head slowly, still trying to process the event in her mind.

Leaning on her friend for support, Kagome managed to trek back upstairs; blood staining their minds and senses. The couple arrived at the landing and Inuyasha immediatly shut the door behind them. The raven-haired beauty took a few steps into the dim hallway before her knees gave out from under her. She collapsed to the cool ground and brought her shaking hands to her face, shielding the tears that fell.

The silver half-demon knelt beside her and took her into his arms; cradling the petrified woman against his chest. Kagome knew he was trying to comfort her, but she could sense the fear seeping off of him in waves.

"Oh shit!" a feminine voice screamed as Sango and Miroku ran into view. Surprise overtook their expressions at the sight before them; Inuyasha holding Kagome while sitting on the ground. "What happened?" The brunette's voice filled with worry.

Inuyasha only glanced at them with a vacant expression. He slightly shook his head as he responded. "We have to get out of here," he whispered, receiving questioning looks.

"Inuyasha, what happened?" Miroku asked, his mouth set in a stern line. His girlfriend took a step closer to him, tightening her grip on his hand.

"No time. We have to find everyone else, then I'll explain." The dark look in their friend's eyes frightened them and Sango could only manage a nod in response. Inuyasha picked Kagome up bridal style as she gripped his shirt and leaned against him; tears flowing freely down her pale cheeks.

The silver male took off running towards the gym with his friend following swiftly behind him.

* * *

Silence thickened the air around them; their footsteps echoing against the white walls. Ayame grabbed Kouga's arm as a shiver crept up her spine. Her eyes darted around the room the couple currently occupied and the feeling of being watched overwhelmed her.

"Kouga," she whispered, walking a bit closer to him. "Kouga!" she hissed again, this time with more anxiety.

He stopped shuffling down the corridor and turned to face the frightened girl. "What is it now?" he asked, his voice tinted with irritation.

"Maybe we should go back now. It's almost 9:30 and this place is giving me the creeps." Her emerald spheres continued to roam the dark room before returning to Kouga's face.

The dark skinned male crossed his arms, forcing Ayame to release her grip. "Feh! Why didn't you stay with Hakkaku and Ginta if you were so scared?" Realization dawned upon his features as he took in the red head's shaking frame and the fear protruding through her pores. His expression softened. "Hey, you're really scared, aren't you?" He dropped his arms to his sides.

"I'm terrified, Kouga," she replied, her voice shaking. "I feel as if I'm being watched and its way too quiet. Can we go back please?" Kouga searched her pleading gaze, feeling his heart lurch against his chest.

After a moment of hesitation, the young man spoke. "Okay, we'll go back." He flashed her a smile and took the female wolf demon's hand, guiding her towards the stairwell.

The twosome made their way cautiously down the dark staircase. Ayame anxiously awaited the reunion with her friends. Kouga opened the door to be greeted with silence. "Where are they?" Ayame asked, glancing around for Kouga's fellow pack members. Grave thoughts flickered through her mind.

"The idiots probably went to the gym to meet up with everyone," the blue eyed man replied, trying to reassure the female at his side. Deep down, worry darkened his heart because his friends' scents mixed with one another and traveled around in circles before trailing down the hall. "Come on, let's go," Kouga said as he led Ayame towards the gym.

* * *

Hojo ran through the various corridors, breathing heavily as he rounded another corner. _Where am I? _He questioned himself as he stopped to take a short break. His eyes glanced around to try and get his bearings. _This isn't the way to the classroom. Come to think of it, this hallway doesn't look familiar at all. Have I gotten myself lost? _The young man sighed as he put a hand on his forehead to try and collect his thoughts.

He managed to steady his nerves a bit, but his heart pounded loudly in his chest. He began walking forward, a dark pathway stretching before him. The echoing of footsteps sounded off the walls. _What was that? _He stopped in his tracks and glanced around nervously. He listened intently, trying to hear the sound again. When silence greeted him, he shrugged it off and began walking.

After a few minutes, the sound came to life once more. _There it is again. _No mistaking it this time; there was a second set of footsteps. Someon was following him. Hojo quickened his pace as his pursuer did as well. The chesnut haired boy didn't dare look behind him as he broke out into a run; fear overwhelming him.

Hojo turned a corner and slipped, sending him falling flat on his face. He laid there for a moment before lifting his head off the ground. Palms stretched out before him, he braced himself on his stomach. The footsteps that had been following him slowed down. The student glanced to his right, afraid to look behind him. Soft thumping came closer and closer until stopping right behind him.

He gathere enought courage and decided to take a peek. Hojo twisted his body around so he was lying on his back, propped up on his elbows. What he saw left him paralyzed with fear. A dark figure. A menacing smile. Blood red eyes. And then everything went black.

* * *

_There you go, another chapter with a little cliff hanger. Don't hate me. Anyways, hope you liked it and please review. I love to know what my readers think. Thanks!_


	9. Regrouping

_A/N: Just to let everyone know, I have finished rewriting the previous chapters. If you're new to the story, then you'll have no problem. However, for those of you who have been reading it for a while now, I haven't made many changes. You can go back and reread it if you like, but its not necessary. The only things you really need to know is: I've clarified the feudal era ties (demons); Naraku's gaze lingers on Kagome longer then necessary; I've rewritten Kikyo so she wasn't so OOC. That's really it, no big deal. Now, on with the story!_

_Disclaimer: I do not own the Inuyasha characters, etc. No copyright infringement is intended._

**Through Blood and Tears**

**Chapter 9: Regrouping**

_Damn that bastard! _Kagura thought with a frown. _Who the hell does he think he is? Going off with Kikyo and leaving me stranded like that. I'll show him! _Her hands balled into fists at her sides as she ambled towards the gym.

Kikyo, Naraku, and she had been traveling down a hallway when they spotted a door leading to a different wing of the school. The vile bastard had taken Kikyo's hand and told Kagura to finish checking the rest of their designated hallway. When she was done, her companions were nowhere to be found.

The clock above her head read 9:31 p.m. as she pushed the doors open to the gymnasium. Her crimson eyes widened slightly. Everything had been thrust into silent chaos. Kouga stood with the red head, trying to calm the woman down. Sesshomaru's emotionless demeanor slightly wavered as Rin huddled close to him. The wind sorceress glanced across the room to the opposite door as it opened.

Inuyasha shuffled in with Kagome cradled in his arms. Sango and Miroku followed close behind. All eyes shifted to them as the remaining students met up in the middle of the room.

"What the hell happened?" Kouga yelled as he took in Kagome's fragile state. Her savior gently set her down so she could stand; her eyes holding fear and red from crying. Inuyasha kept a hand protectively around her waist.

"Kouga, please, not now," the dark haired teen whispered. She didn't think she could handle a brawl between the guys in her current state. Her breathing was ragged as she stole a glance at those present. "Where is everyone?" Kagome asked.

The wolf demons exchanged a glance before Ayame answered. "Well, Hakkaku and Ginta split up from us and when we went back to get them, they were gone. We just assumed they had come here." Her expression was innocent enough, but Kagome's eyes darkened and her mouth formed in a worried line.

"Hojo got scared and ran off," Rin piped up, her usual loud voice now quiet with concern. "We haven't seen him since." Kagome wrapped her arms around her shaking frame, trying to calm her nerves. Then all eyes turned to Kagura.

"Kikyo and Naraku left me behind," she stated simply, crossing her arms in the process. Kagome's knees felt weak as Inuyasha held her up for support, giving her worried glances. Her breathing became irregular as she tried to catch her breath.

"Kags, what's wrong?" Kouga asked, taking a step closer. The frightened girl only managed to shake her head in response. She turned her face into the half-demon's chest and silently sobbed.

Inuyasha heaved a shaky breath. "We have to get out of here. Does anyone have a phone?" His golden orbs shifted around the small group and met confusing stares.

"Yash, tell us what happened," Miroku said, laying a hand on the silver haired male's shoulder. The students looked at him expectantly.

"We found the teacher." Everyone's eyes filled with relief for a moment before they were quickly dashed. "What was left of her anyways," came Inuyasha's next words.

"What the fuck are you talking about? Spit it out already!" Kouga yelled. A sick feeling formed in the pit of his stomach as he searched his rival's eyes for an answer.

"She's dead, you guys. Ms. Kimiko is dead." The half-demon paused for a moment, allowing this deadly information to sink in. "Her body was ripped apart. It was unreal, something I had never even imagined ..." His grip tightened around the slender woman's waist, bringing her closer.

Everyone stood in shocked awe at what had transpired. Kouga was the first to regain his bearings. A million thoughts raced threw his head, but he could only managed to speak out one. "Wha ... what do we do now?" He glanced around at the few people remaining of their initial group.

"We have to get out of here," Miroku stated, taking a step forward. His voice was calm and collected, but his violet spheres were wild with fear. "Does anyone know a way out?" Sango gave him a surprised look. _How can he be so calm?_ None the less, she was grateful someone took control and tightened her hand around his.

"All the doors we tried were locked," the male demon said, glad to have something to focus on. Rin nodded her head in agreement. They were locked in their school with some murderous ... monster.

Suddenly, Ayame screamed and gripped Kouga's arms as one of the gym doors swung open; slamming into the wall behind it. Everyone took on a guarded stance as they looked over to see who had graced their presence.

"What's the matter with you?" a cold voice questioned that Kagome knew so well. She released her grip around Inuyasha and ran towards the figure, relief washing over her. With tears streaming down her face, the dark haired teen wrapped the person in an embrace. "Release me," the new arrival said in a surprised tone.

Kagome let go of the woman before her. "I'm so glad you're safe, Kikyo."

"And why wouldn't I be?" Although Kikyo's face was emotionless, she was still in shock over the fact her arch nemesis had given her a hug. Desolation erupted onto Kagome's expression as she took a step back. In a quiet voice she repeated to Kikyo what had occured moments earlier.

"Well, it seems were in a bit of trouble," a dark masculine voice spoke up. Naraku came up behind Kikyo, his face absent of a smile. His hands dipped into his jean pockets and his mouth was drawn in a firm line.

Everyone glared at the two newcomers, but when Kagome turned around, their gazes softened. The expression on the young woman's face said it all; they should be thankful Kikyo and Naraku hadn't fallen victim to the killer like the Ms. Kimiko had.

"Does anyone have a phone?" Rin asked, ignoring the exchange of glances going throughout the group. A few people took out their cell phones, holding it high above their heads.

"No signal," Sango stated as she sighed, closing her phone and pocketing it.

"Me neither," Ayame replied, her face crestfallen. The others with phones shook their heads in response.

"No one has a signal?" Kouga yelled, his voice echoing off the high ceilings. "Well this is great, just great. We're stuck inside the school with no way out and no way to contact anyone outside. Can this get any worse?" He spoke too soon as the lights suddenly flickered and went out.

Ayame, Rin, and Kagome screamed as Inuyasha rushed to Kagome's side. Suddenly, a beam of light trailed across the gym floor. The source of it pointed it upwards, revealing his identity.

Miroku gave everyone a stern look. "Sango and I found a flashlight in one of the classrooms; didn't know it would be so useful." Inuyasha shot him a thankful glance, but it couldn't be seen through the darkness.

"Now what?" the female wolf demon asked, still holding onto her beloved's arm. Silence enshrouded them as the group tried to gather their thoughts about their next move.

"We need a phone," a masculine voice floated through the darkness. "I suggest we get to a classroom, since they each carry one." Sesshomaru had stayed silent during the event, so hearing his stotic voice was a surprise.

"He's right. Let's find a phone and get the hell out of here," Inuyasha commanded. He felt Kagome shift beside him as she stole a glance at his face. The two brothers never agreed on anything. Then again, it was for a good reason considering their lives were at stake.

"What about the others?" Kikyo asked, taking a step forward in the semi darkness. "We can't just leave them." All eyes turned to her as the beam of light rested on her stomach; giving her face a soft glow.

"If we find them along the way, then great, but the important thing to do right now is to find a phone and call for help." Miroku waved the beam of light over the group after he spoke, getting nods in reply.

"We should stick together. Who knows what this guy is capable of?" Kagome stated, though her voice was heavy with sorrow. Inuyasha looked down at her. _We already know what he can do_, he thought, images of Ms. Kimiko's corpse flashing through his mind.

"Should we all head back to room 1304? We know that one definitely isn't locked," Ayame said, crossing her arms.

"Yeah, let's go," the half-demon dictated, holding Kagome close. Kouga grunted in discontent as the light waved over the contiguity Kagome and Inuyasha shared. Nonetheless, the couple heard a shuffling of feet behind them as the rest of their friends followed. Miroku made his way to the front with the flashlight; Sango holding onto his hand for dear life.

_A/N: Shoot! Lots of reviews for the last chapter! You guys are amazing! I'm so glad you guys like it so far. Don't worry, many more twists and turns before this story is over. Sorry for not updating sooner. You're lucky I was able to sneak a quick chapter in this weekend. I've been non-stop running for days now. lol. Hope you enjoy and please **review!**_


	10. Fate of Two

**Through Blood and Tears**

**Chapter 10: Fate of Two**

The group safely made it into the classroom in one piece. Sango shut the door behind them, propping the vacant teacher's chair up against the handle in the process. She turned around to see her boyfriend staring at her. "Well you never know," she responded as his eyes danced with amusement. Miroku merely shrugged his shoulder and shifted his gaze to Kagome.

She picked up the phone and punched in the emergency number. After a few seconds of deafening silence, her eyes widened with disbelief. "What's wrong, Kagome?" Inuyasha asked, concern clouding his eyes. The young woman merely shook her head and let the phone drop from her hands as she slowly backed up to where the half-demon stood.

Kouga glanced at the desolate girl and strided over to the phone. He picked it up from where it dangled and pressed it to his ear. The wolf demon's expression copied Kagome's, but he didn't allow the phone to fall from his hands. Instead he gazed over at his classmates, confusion evident in their eyes.

"The phone ... it's dead," Kouga said quietly, placing the receiver in its cradle. Miroku sighed in frustration.

"What the hell do you mean the phones dead?" Inuyasha yelled as he held Kagome close. No one spoke as his words hung in the air.

"I was afraid of this." Miroku shifted the flashlight to his other hand as he brushed a hand through his dark locks. All eyes turned to him, glances questioning his spoken thoughts. "The power went out. That means there is no lights, no phones, no heat, nothing. Believe me when I say this, these lights ..." He gestured to the lights by waving the beam of light across the ceiling. " ... they don't shut off by themselves."

"You mean," Ayame began, taking a step forward. "Someone purposely cut off the electricity?" Miroku nodded his head in agreement. That's exactly what he meant.

"Who would do that?" Rin asked, moving closer to Sesshomaru.

"The killer, who else?" Kouga said, matter-of-factly. When everyone glared at him, he put up his hands defensively. "What? What did I say?"

"Kouga, you can be so inconsiderate!" Kagome lectured him, keeping her hands around Inuyasha's waist. The wolf demon grunted, holding back the anger boiling up inside of him. Although he hated the sight of the woman he loved wrapped up in the arms of his rival, now was not the time nor the place to start an argument.

"What do we do now?" Kikyo asked, crossing her arms. She was in the same state of mind as everyone else; shock, fear, survival.

"Let me think," her rival said, releasing Inuyasha. Kagome sat down on a nearby desk and rested her elbows on her knees. Her palms met her forehead as she leaned over, closing her eyes in thought_. _After a few minutes of careful and thorough thinking, she suddenly focused her eyes on the watch bound around Miroku's wrist.

"That's it you guys!" she screamed, a smile erupting on her lips. Everyone turned to face her, confusion emitting off their visages. "We are only supposed to be here until ten. Our parents are bound to come looking for us!" Surprise coated the students' faces as relieving smiles formed.

"She's right!" Rin piped up enthusiastically, her hyper attitude back on track. Her boyfriend only grunted, but a flicker of happiness glazed his eyes.

Everyone began chatting happily about Kagome's discovery, seeing as how they only had fifteen minutes left. A crackling sound emitted from the intercom as Kagome's smile dwindled from her visage. The conversations surrounding her ceased as one by one her friends tuned into the noise.

The room went deathly silent before a voice echoed through the classroom. "Heh, heh, heh. So you think you'll leave that easily?" All eyes turned their attention to the speaker just above the clock. "Let's just say your parents won't be expecting you home tonight ..." The person laughed once more before it faded away.

"What the hell?" Inuyasha yelled out, his fists clenched at his sides.

"Who was that?" Sango asked, fear erupting from her voice. It was evident that nobody knew who it was or what they wanted and a small murmur broke out between them.

Kagome sat there in stunned silence, staring at the intercom that no longer held a voice. The malicious tone of the person's voice sounded familiar, but she couldn't fully grasp who the culprit was. Inuyasha glanced over to see his beloved's eyes wide and distant. "Kagome?" he questioned, taking a few steps towards her. "Kagome ...?" His voice cracked with worry as she failed to respond.

He place a hand on her shoulder, startling her out of her stupor. She slowly turned her head in his direction. "Yeah?" she responded, the distant look dissipating.

"Are you okay?" The dark haired girl continued to stare at him as he asked the question, knowing she should answer, but her voice refused to work. Instead, she found her head in her hands and she wept, not caring everyone saw her weakened state. Inuyasha was immediatly at her side and kneeling before her. "Its okay, Kagome, everything's going to be okay," the half-demon consoled her, playing with a few strands of her hair.

Suddenly, the young woman felt anger erupt deep within her heart. She jerked her hands from her head; her eyes gleaming with rage and frustration. She jumped off the desk, throwing Inuyasha off balance. He fell backwards, propping his body up with his elbows. She towered over him as he stared at her in shock.

As he struggled to stand, she met him with a hardened glare. "Alright? How can you say everything's going to be alright?! We are locked inside our school, the one place we thought we were safe. We have no way to communicate with anyone outside these walls, there is a cold-blooded killer on the loose, and we have friends missing who could very well be dead! How can you say everything is going to be alright?!"

Eveyone stood stunned by their friend's sudden outburst. Tears streamed down her flushed face, her eyes steady on the half-demon. The room thickened with silence for a moment before Kagome dropped her gaze and stomped towards the door. She shoved past her friends and threw the chair aside before stalking into the hallway. The door slammed shut behind her, leaving her classmates in total surprise.

* * *

"Shouldn't someone go after her?" Sango asked, eyeing Inuyasha and Kouga. Kagome had left a few minutes ago and the remaining students were starting to worry.

"I would be able to sense if she was in danger," Inuyasha said, leaning against the wall with his arms crossed. "Just let her cool off for a bit."

"To hell we will!" the wolf demon screamed, stalking over to the half-demon. "Do you think I'm going to put Kagome's life in your hands? I'm not going to take that chance. There is a fucking killer on the loose in this school and you'll go so far as to allow Kagome to wander around alone?! You idiot!" Kouga clenched his fists in anger and bolted towards the door, following Kagome's scent.

After he left, all eyes turned towards Inuyasha. "You know, Kagome was right," Sango said rather quietly. Everyone could detect the soft anger in her eyes. Her half-demon friend stared at her before dropping his gaze. "Come on, everyone. We have to stick together," she stated, taking a few steps towards the door. She opened it only to be stopped by Miroku's voice.

"Wait," he said, his arms crossed. His gaze fixated on the ground, his face twisted into a thinking pose.

"What is it, Miroku?" Ayame asked, clearly distressed about Kouga going after Kagome.

"There is only one place that the intercom leads to, the office. Meaning ...." He didn't have a chance to finish as his girlfriend took over.

"Meaning that the killer must be there." A small smile of admiration played on Sango's lips. Miroku had allowed everyone else to fret over Kagome as he thought things over.

"So?" Sesshomaru said in his usual icy tone. "What are you suggesting? That we go after this monster?" Everyone turned there attention from the dog demon to Miroku, their eyes asking the same question.

When he only gave silence as a response, Kagura spoke up. "Are you insane?" A malicious smirk landed upon Naraku's lips as he crossed his arms, amused by the whole situation.

Inuyasha took a few steps towards his dark haired friend. "I may have demon blood, but you have no idea what this bastard can do. You didn't see Ms. Kimiko's mangled corpse." His words stung.

Miroku eyed him sternly. "Then what do you suppose we do, Yash? According to this 'monster', no one is coming for us. Unless of course, someone just happened to come by the school on a Saturday night. We are locked in, no phones, nothing. Some of our friends have gone missing and could very well be dead. Do you really expect us to last in here until Monday?"

The half-demon glared at him for a moment before crossing his arms and grunting in defeat.

* * *

_That stupid Inuyasha. He can be such a jerk! _Kagome wiped away another frustrated tear as she continued down the dark hallway. Her footsteps echoed off the walls as the small bits of moonlight guided her path. The young woman's anger had cooled off and she plunged into a depressed state. She paused a moment, trying to soothe the turmoil swirling in her heart. _I guess I should head back now. I shouldn't be out here in the first place._

Kagome turned around slightly, but stopped in her tracks as her ears picked up a ghastly sound. A muffled moan floated over to her. It was faint, but it definitely came from behind her. Fear paralyzed every part of her body and her mind screamed for her legs to move, run back to the safety of her friends. But her body wouldn't allow it. Instead, she turned around hesitantly and tried to glimpse the source of the sound through the darkness.

There on the ground lay two lumps of something. Kagome took a few steps closer and realized the agonized moan came from the one on the right. She saw whatever it was squirm a bit as if gasping for air. When she got close enough, her senses were overwhelmed with a sweet, sickening scent that churned nauseous feelings in the pit of her stomach. She wanted to turn around and hurl, but the voices in her head held her in place.

She knelt down and reached out a hand towards the slightly moving lump. Her fingers grazed a slimy substance and her immediate thoughts were to pull away. Before she could, however, the object in front of her moved and grabbed her wrist. Holding back a scream, Kagome realized she was kneeling beside two bodies. Her heart skipped a beat at the thought.

"Help me," the clamy flesh asked, pain evident in his voice. She knew the voice belonged to one of her missing classmates, but couldn't figure out who. Only seconds passed as she paired the voice with a face.

"Hakkaku?" she asked, hopefully. The grip on her hand tightened as the person tried to turn his head.

"Kagome?" he spat out, his eyes landing on the silhouette of the woman before him. She gave him a small smile, barely visible by the moonlight. "Help me," he repeated. His grip on her wrist slackened as his hand dropped down to his stomach.

Kagome immediately began to glance over the damage that had been done. She could have sworn her heart stopped as her eyes landed on the object across Hakkaku's chest. A single white rose. Her blood ran cold as her pulse pounded in her ears.

She snapped away from her deadly thoughts as Hakkaku moaned in pain once more. "Its okay, Hakkaku. You're going to be okay," Kagome soothed as she glanced over to the body at his side. She mentally questioned herself who it was when the mohawk boy beside her answered.

"Is Ginta okay?" he asked, trying to turn his head to find his friend. Kagome tore her gaze away from Ginta's lifeless corpse and struggled to calm Hakkaku down.

"Don't move your head. It will only cause more pain." Tears pricked her eyes as Hakkaku unwillingly obeyed and kept his body still from all movement. _I have to get some help. he won't last much longer. Think, Kagome, think! _Her eyes roamed around the hallway, trying to find something she could use as a stretcher. Finding nothing, she began to yell for help, not caring the killer could be listening. Her only thought right now was to save her friend's life.

"Help!" she screamed behind her, hoping her friends could hear her through the maze of hallways she had traveled. "Somebody help!" It wasn't long before Kagome heard a set of footsteps running in her direction.

Kouga appeared moments later at the distressed woman's side, breathing heavy. Shock emitted off his face at the sight before him. Although it was dark and blood covered his senses, he could still make out the scents of his friends. He almost collapsed when he realized Ginta's scent was mixed with death.

"Kouga!" Kagome yelled, ripping the wolf demon from his thoughts. "Run back and get some help! Hakkaku is badly hurt. We need a stretcher of some kind. Hurry!" It took a moment for him to comprehend what she was saying, but he nodded his head and took off in the direction from which he came.

After her friend disappeared from view, Kagome took off her jacket and laid it over Hakkaku's chest. The wound was greatest there and she had to stop the bleeding. "Hakkaku, I'm going to put a little pressure on your chest, okay?" she warned, putting slight pressure on the wound, increasing it slowly. She spoke soothing words to the dying wolf, trying to keep him calm. _Hurry, Kouga. He's not going to be able to last much longer ..._

A/N: Wow, I just realized that the remaining chapters are just full of cliff hangers. Good for me, bad for you. lol. Well, sorry this chapter took so long, but I uploaded a new story for you to hold you over. I didn't think this kind of story would really get you into the Christmas Spirit. lol. Please let me know what you think on this chapter with a little review. Thanks!


	11. Saving A Life

**Through Blood and Tears**

**Chapter 11: Saving a Life**

"I'm just saying, we shouldn't rule it out as an option," Miroku said, crossing his arms.

"He's right," Ayame pitched in. "But that still leaves the question; what are we going to do?"

Everyone was quiet for a moment as they pondered their thoughts. Inuyasha, however, wasn't concerned with their next move. Instead, his thoughts revolved around Kagome. _Its been way too long. She should be back by now. What's taking that mangy wolf?_

As if on cue, the door burst open to reveal a figure. Miroku immediately whipped the flashlight towards the door to discover Kouga; his eyes wild and crazy. "Kouga?" Ayame whispered.

"We need a stretcher, now!" the wolf demon yelled, his eyes roaming over their confused faces.

"Where's Kagome?!" Inuyasha bellowed as he balled his hands into fists.

"No time. Find something that could be used as a stretcher. We need two of them, then follow me!" No one had a chance to respond as Kouga disappeared from the doorway. Inuyasha growled, his mind conjouring up every possibility as to what happened to Kagome; all of them involving blood shed.

Everyone stood in silent awe for a moment, stunned at what had occured. Rin was the first to recover. "Well, you heard him. Let's get going." Her stern words startled her classmates from their trance-like states. They began searching the classroom for anything they could use as a stiff board; making sure it wasn't too heavy, but sturdy.

"What about this?" Kikyo's voice projected over the commotion of shuffling feet and moving objects. Everyone turned towards her and followed her determined gaze to the open storage closet.

Inside was a rectangular fold up table. "Perfect," Miroku said as he hoisted it out, setting it down on a group of desks. "And it's not that heavy either."

"We can use this," Kagura said, coming forward with a fire blanket. "It's not that strong though," she continued, her voice emotionless.

"It'll have to do," Sango said, grabbing the blanket from the red-eyed woman. "Come on, lets go," the brunette said, looking to her demon friends for directions. Inuyasha immediately took her hint and started out towards the door, following his beloved's scent. Miroku and Sesshomaru followed swiftly after him with the table; Sango and Ayame taking off close behind with the blanket. Kikyo, Naraku, and Rin stayed behind, preparing for the worse.

The smell of blood penetrated the half-demon senses as he drew closer to Kagome's location. _Please be okay, Kagome ..._

* * *

"Its okay, Hakkaku, just hold on." Kagome continued to apply pressure to his wound with one hand as she held his hand with the other. His breathing had labored and worry thoughts entered the young woman's mind.

Just then, she heard footsteps approaching. Kouga was by her side seconds later. "How's he doing?" the wolf demon asked, giving his friend concerned looks.

"It'll be better once we get him to the classroom and assess the damage." This reminded her of Kouga's task and she furrowed her brow in question. "Where's the stretcher?"

He could see the concern in his love's eyes as moonlight hit her face. "It's on the way." Kouga shifted his position so he kneeled on the other side of Hakkaku and grasped his free hand. "Hey," he said, unseen tears in the corner of his eyes.

"Kouga?" Hakkaku forced out, trying to catch a glimpse of his friend's face.

"Yeah, man, its me," Kouga replied with a half-hearted smile. "You're going to be fine." He tried to give his friend some reassurance through his words, but deep down, his heart was full of pain and worry.

A hoard of footsteps echoed down the hallway from the direction of the classroom. Inuyasha ran up beside Kagome and a shocked expression took over his facial features as he glimpsed the sight before him.

Miroku, Sesshomaru, Sango, and Ayame came up next to them as well, stunned at the scene before them. The group of friends were snapped out of their stupor as Kagome took control. "Sesshy, Roku, lay the table next to Hakkaku." They obliged to her wishes, although the dog demon grunted in discontent by the use of his nickname and being ordered around like a slave. "Kouga, keep putting pressure on the wound." He nodded in response as him and Kagome switched positions. "Sango, Ayame, set the blanket next to Ginta." Miroku handed her the flashlight so the group could see what they were doing. "Inuyasha, help them move Hakkaku on to the table. But do it carefully," Kagome said, stating the last part fiercely.

The dog demons put their hands under the injured man's torso, feeling blood trickle through their fingers, as Miroku took a hold of Hakkaku's legs. Kouga continued to put slight pressure on the wound as Kagome took position by her friend's head. "Okay, on the count of three, we're going to life him up and over." She received three mumbles in reply before turning her attention to her patient. "Okay, Hakkaku, we're going to lift you over to the table lying down beside you. It might hurt a bit so brace yourself." He squinted his eyes in response.

Beads of sweat dripped down her forehead in concentration. "One ... two ... three!" Hakkaku screamed out in agony as jolts of pain shot through his body. Kagome grimaced as they set him down on the make-shift stretcher. "Alright," she commanded once more as the injured man took short, raspy breaths. "Kouga, Miroku, Ayame, and Sesshomaru, you get him back to the classroom, pronto!"

Sesshomaru glared at her, tired of being told what to do. "Woman, you do not order this Sesshomaru around." She stared up at him, as if to challenge her authority.

"Sesshy," she said, stern but quiet. "He's dying." And that's all she said before returning her attention back to Ginta. With a slight grunt from the demon lord, the four did as they were told; Ayame putting pressure on the wound as they cautiously made their way down the hallway.

Kagome wanted to break down in tears right then and there, but knew there was still one more task to complete.

"Come on, Sango and Inuyasha, help me get Ginta onto the blanket." Her voice quivered as she knelt beside her friend's lifeless body. She stuck her hands out in front of her, slowly slipping them beneath his torso. She stopped as she felt a hand lay gently on her shoulder. The dark haired girl glanced up to see Inuyasha's amber eyes shine through the darkness.

"Let me, Kagome," he offered solemnly. She backed away in response. Sango helped the distressed girl to a standing position and held her close, trying to bring her some sort of comfort. By the time they parted, Inuyasha had Ginta's body resting on the blanket with the sides folded over; sheilding his body from view. The half-demon picked the death package up bridal style and walked towards the classroom, the girls following closely behind.

* * *

When Kagome, Sango, and Inuyasha returned to the classroom, everyone was hard at work. Hakkau's make-shift stretcher was set across a row of desks as Naraku stood by, shining a flashlight on Hakkaku's wounds.

Although Kagome and Kikyo both aced their Anatomy and Physiology class last year, it was Kikyo hunched over Hakkaku's stomach, trying to repair the damage done. Rin stood near the patient's legs stitching up cuts with thread from a woven friendship bracelet her cousin gave her and a paper clip. Books were placed nearby to be used to set his leg. Miroku and Sesshomaru searched the room, looking for anything that could be used to save the wolf demon's life. Ayame sat at the teacher's desk, sorting through the items the two men brought her, determining what could be used. Kouga stood over Hakkaku's head as he whispered soothing words to him, trying to keep his friend's mind off of the excruciating pain.

Inuyasha silently went to the back of the room and gently set Ginta's body down on the floor. He turned around just in time to see his beloved collapse to her knees. "Kagome!" he yelled, running to her side. The half-demon knelt down beside her and Sango, seeing her friend was in good hands, went to help Rin.

Kagome was pushed into a fit of sobs as she clutched an item in her hand. Inuyasha set her on his lap and held her close. He gently pried open her hands to see what she was holding. His breath caught in his throat as he realized what she had in her possession. A single white rose, splattered with the wolves' blood. What was going on?

A/N: Well there you go, another chapter. I'm so glad you guys like this story so much. Ideas are welcomed, even though I've already got it all planned out. Thanks for reading and please **review** and **take my poll**!


	12. Taking A Breather

**Through Blood and Tears**

**Chapter 12: Taking a Breather**

Sango wiped a sheen of sweat from her brow as she sighed. She stole a glance at Miroku's watch that sat on the teacher's desk. It was almost one o'clock. Everyone was taking a break after getting Hakkaku bandaged up as best they could. The athletic female was amazed he was still alive and proud of the fact their group were the ones that did it. Well, not entirely. The true miracle behind his survival was Kikyo's knowledge on medical treatments. If it weren't for her, he would be dead.

"What time is it?" Miroku whispered to her as his arm snaked around her wait, bringing her close to him.

"Almost one," she mumbled. Sango leaned into his chest, exhausted, as she glanced over at her classmates. Inuyasha sat against the wall, his ears erect and his amber eyes glowing in the darkness. Kagome slept in his arms, drained from the stress of their situation. The rest of the group sat in a circle in the middle of the room, the flashlight on the table between them. It pointed upwards to give the entire room a soft glow.

Sango's eyes drifted to Hakkaku's unmoving form as she stood next to him. She had been watching over him for about twenty minutes as the other took a much needed break. Taking the sleeve of Kagome's bloody jacket, she dabbed his face to absorb some sweat. The injured boy's face twisted in pain as he drifted in and out of sleep. Even with the three pain pills he had swallowed, courtesy of Miroku, the wounds were much too great for a few capsules. His entire torso was a mess of bandages and his legs had strings sticking out a purple jagged scar, holding the flesh together. Rin had tried to stitch him up using the technique her grandmother had taught her in the methods of sewing. Two text books were laying side by side under one of his legs as another two light books laid on top. They were tied tightly together with two jackets, borrowed from Naraku and Kagura, to create a make-shift splint.

"Come on," Miroku whispered in her ear as his hand let go of her waist. He clasped her hand in his and slightly tugged on her hand. "He'll be alright for a few minutes." Sango paused for a moment before setting Kagome's jacket down and allowing her beloved to lead her towards the circle of students.

The brunette took a seat on a desk as Miroku stood beside her, tuning into the others' conversation. "The fact still remains," Kikyo said, everyone listening intently. "We have no idea who this guy is or what he wants."

"I'm worried that no one has come looking for us yet," the female wolf demon said, anxiety plaguing her facial features.

"She's right. It's way past the time we were supposed to be home," Rin almost whispered, suppressing a yawn. Sesshomaru merely offered a 'Hn' before glancing around the group as each person spoke.

"You guys, I don't think Hakkaku will survive twenty-four hours unless we get him to a hospital." All eyes turned to Sango. "We have to get out of here."

"What do you think we've been doing? Playing a game?" Kagura hissed back, a cold expression illuminating her face. The brunette clenched her fists in anger as she stood, being held back only by Miroku's grip on her wrist.

"Calm down," he mumbled, guiding her back to her seat. "We are all tired, hungry, and frustrated. Now is not the time to be angry with each other. We should be thinking of a way to get out of here."

Kouga grunted as he stood. "Where are you going?" Rin asked, rubbing her eye sleepily.

"I'm starving. I think there's a snack machine down the hall. I'll be right back." He walked out of the classroom door. The students glanced after him with worry.

"I'll go with him. Got to stick together, right?" Ayame said as she slowly jumped down from where she sat and quickly followed her beloved down the hall. The rest of the group turned their attention back to the center of their small circle, quietly whispering amongst themselves.

"What if we somehow initiate an alarm?" Sango asked sternly, still easily angered because of their predicament.

"Your reason?" Sesshomaru asked, pointing his glare at the brunette.

"We need to get out of here," she raised her voice while speaking. "One of our friends is dying and there is nothing we can do about it! I hate it!" She screamed as she stood, stomping over to the dog demon. "You're not even trying to help. You simply sit there, as if you don't care."

"I am rational in my thoughts and do not allow petty emotions to control me," he responded coolly, not even blinking an eye.

She raised a hand to strike him, but Kikyo stopped her. "He's right," she said calmly. "We can not get all worked up. It would do no good for anyone." The women stared at one another for a few moments, refusing to back down. Eventually, Sango heaved a sigh of defeat and took her place next to Miroku once more.

"Tell me, Sango, what did you plan to do by sounding an alarm?" Naraku asked, emerging from the surrounding darkness.

"I was just thinking," she replied, swallowing the lump in her throat. "If we somehow tripped the alarm, someone will come to investigate."

"Did you forget? The power is off," Kagura said, narrowing her eyes at the brunette. "No power, no lights, no alarms."

"Though I hate to admit it, she's right," the perverted boy announced, rubbing the back of his hand in frustration.

"And that brings us to square one," Rin said in a tired voice, snuggling up to Sesshomaru. He glanced down at her for a moment. Surprisingly, he didn't push her away like his fellow classmates believed he would. Maybe even the heart of the great demon lord was beginning to melt.

* * *

Kouga finally reached the vending machine* and pulled out some loose change from his pocket. He slid the money into the slot and pressed some buttons, expecting a bag of chips to fall. To his luck, they wedged in between the clear plastic and the black spirals inside. "Come on," Kouga yelled, banging his fists against the outside. "Piece of shit!" The demon's anger fueled as he continued to pound the machine, his fists hitting harder each time. "Damn, damn, damn!" he screamed at each impact, his eyes gleaming with rage.

"Kouga!" Ayame yelled, running towards him. His body tensed and his legs planted firmly on the ground. "Kouga, stop!" the red-head screamed again. She finally reached him and held back his arm, stopping him from landing another dent in the clear plastic.

He whipped around, pulling the appendage free from her grasp. Ayame gasped and took a step back in fright. "It's okay, Kouga, its okay," she whispered, guiding her hands to him. Her slender fingers never had the chance to touch him, however, as she pulled them back at the tone of his voice.

"No, its not okay!" Kouga snapped, rage running rapidly through his veins. "I just lost one of my best friends and the other is lying on a table on the brink of death. Don't try and tell me everything is okay!" He paused for a moment, his fists tight at his sides.

The couple stood there in silence for a moment. When the male wolf demon saw the fear and uncertainty in Ayame's emerald eyes, his expression softened as his hands unclenched. He sighed heavily and took the red-head into his arms. Her hands rested softly on his chest as he laid his chin on top of her head. He gently laced his fingers through her hair, trying to settle her nerves.

"I'm sorry, Ayame," Kouga whispered, just enough so she could hear him. "I just feel so helpless. I didn't mean to get you upset." She nodded her head against his muscular pecs in understanding. "It's all my fault."

Ayame pulled away from him to gaze into his bright azure eyes. "What do you mean?" Kouga ceased stroking her hair and instead rested his hands around her waist. Her eyes searched his, begging for an answer.

"If I hadn't left Ginta and Hakkaku behind, none of this would have happened." He dropped his gaze from her, ashamed.

The young woman shook her head. "No, Kouga. This is not your fault, not by a long shot." She took a step back, forcing him to drop his arms from around her waist and look at her. "You weren't the one that inflicted those wounds. It was that ... that monster," she said, waving her hands in a drastic manner. "If he wasn't here, we would already be home, safe in our beds." Ayame's eyes intensified as she gave him a fierce look. "Don't you dare, for one instant, think this is your fault. You are not to blame!"

Kouga stared at the fiery female, knowing every word she spoke was the truth. He sighed once more as she allowed him to bring her into another embrace; this one for love instead of comfort. They stood there for a moment, listening to the others steady breathing. The tan wolf took his hand from the small of her back and lifted her chin to face him. His eyes bore into hers as the space between their faces began to close.

The wolves' lips met, leaving a stunned expression on Ayame's face. She knew she should pull away, that this was not the time nor the place to be doing this, but she found her mind fighting to regain control as she kissed him back.

It was a passionate, loving kiss that the two of them shared. The slender female wrapped her arms around her love's neck, bringing them closer if it was at all possible. Kouga gripped her waist, beginning to explore her body. His hand slipped beneath her shirt, aiming higher as she groaned in pleasure.

Ayame dropped a hand from Kouga's neck and rested it on his roaming hand, stopping it from proceeding further. She forced her lips to break away from the kiss, receiving a bewildered look from the male wolf demon. "Not now, Kouga," she reprimanded breathlessly, taking a step back and forcing distance between them.

A sad expression sat upon her face as realization dawned on Kouga's visage and his shoulders sagged with embarrassment. He needed some sort of comfort and used the heat of the moment to escape from the battle at hand. "I'm sorry," he mumbled, sighing heavily and taking her hand. Offering up a small smile in reassurance, he silently pledged his love to her. Ayame returned the gesture as her fingers tightened around his calloused hand, glad her feelings for him were mutual.

"Come on, Kouga, let's go back and figure this whole mess out," she said, tugging his hand slightly to lead him towards the classroom that posed as their safe zone. Kouga took a few steps so he was walking by her side. A comfortable silence surrounded them as their footsteps echoed down the moonlit hallway. Their moment wasn't going to last, however, as a figure hid in the shadows.

A/N: And the plot thickens. *laughs in evil manner* ... Ahem ... anyways, hope you all liked this chapter. Don't worry, we still have plenty of chapters to go before this story is over. Please let me know what you think and **take my poll!**

***Surprisingly, there are battery-powered vending machines in Japan. Huh ... who would have known? **


	13. Protection

**Through Blood and Tears**

**Chapter 13: Protection**

"Inuyasha," Kagome mumbled as she awoke from a restless sleep. She glanced up to see her half-demon's eyes looking down at her with concern. Her gaze traveled around the room, landing on the small group huddled around a faint glow of light. Their whispers were muffled, but every so often Kagome would catch a few words.

After a few moments, she finally regained her bearings and realized where she was. With a light blush dusting her cheeks, she crawled off of Inuyasha's lap. He stood up, his face a slight crimson, and helped her to her feet. She smiled graciously, but it was lost in the darkness. "How long was I out?" she questioned, stifling a yawn.

"I don't know, an hour or so." His amber eyes followed the dark haired teen as she stumbled towards her classmates.

"Hey, Kags," Sango greeted softly, noticing her friend's awakened state. Kagome smiled towards the group as the light gleamed upon their distraught faces. Her eyes scanned the teenagers before her, feeling as if something was off; something was missing. Realization sparked in her features as she whipped her head around the classroom, trying to find a glimpse of the missing students.

"What's wrong, Kagome?" Rin asked sleepily, pulling her head off of Sesshomaru's shoulder.

"Where's Kouga and Ayame?" she replied, turning her attention back to the eight faces before her.

"They went to the vending machine down the hall," Miroku said, rubbing Sango's knuckles for comfort.

"They've been gone for a few minutes," Kikyo added in, her voice holding no concern for the safety of the two wolf demons. She studied her nails, brushing a nail file over them she had dug out of her bag.

Kagome's anger flared, but concerned emotions overpowered her fury. "Well, did any of you think to look for them?!" she questioned harshly, forcing her voice to remain steady.

"They can take care of themselves," Naraku chimed in, his voice dripping with venom. He leaned his hip against the desk Kikyo sat upon, his arms crossed and a menacing smile on his lips.

She only gave a frustrated grunt and turned on her heel, heading towards teh door. Inuyasha glared at his former beloved and the vile man before following the frantic girl. "Kags, wait up," he quietly called, grabbing her arm.

Kagome whipped her head around in Inuyasha's direction, ready to spit out a nasty remark, when they were interrupted by a piercing scream.

* * *

Ayame smiled up at Kouga as their pace slowed, savoring the moment they had alone. She tightened her grip around his hand and glanced forward, stopping dead in her tracks. Kouga took a few steps before noticing she wasn't moving from her current position. "Ayame, what's wrong?" he asked, noticing the absolute terror in her emerald eyes.

"Kouga," she whispered, her gaze unwavering. "What is that?" She slightly pointed with her hand towards a dark corner of the hallway. He followed her gaze to the source of her fear and his own body became paralyzed as he searched the darkness.

It was barely visible, but blood red eyes could be seen through the black abyss. The male wolf demon released his grip on Ayame's hand and wrapped it around her waist instead, holding her close. "_Who _is that?" the red head whispered, a lump forming in her throat. She was afraid if she spoke too loud, the eyes would launch themselves upon the couple.

Kouga shook his head, thoughts swarming through his mind as he asked himself the same question. His first thoughts were that one of his classmates was playing a trick on them. The idea quickly dissipated. _No, not even Naraku is this sick and twisted. _he thought, his eyes lingering on the enemy.

The female wolf demon's stomach lurched as a thin, white line appeared slightly below the red eyes, realizing whoever the person was, he was smiling. "Kouga, lets get out of here," she said quietly, hugging herself closer to him. She felt him nod slightly in response as he inched his way along the wall farthest from the dark figure, bringing Ayame with him.

They stopped their movements as an awful sound reached their ears. The person was chuckling in amusement, his bellowed laugh echoing off the walls. A few footsteps resonated in the hallway as the man was brought into the moonlight. Most of his features were still covered in darkness, but the wolves could see bits and pieces. His blood red eyes darted between them hungrily, his whit teeth smiling menacingly, and his dark locks sticking out in various directions.

Kouga growled as he pushed his beloved behind him in a protective manner. The figure only continued to approach, stopping a foot away from the couple's position. The demon's nose twitched as the scent of blood and death invaded. And was that the scent ... of a full-blooded demon?

The dark man spoke no words, only stared at the frightened couple. "What the hell are you staring at?" Kouga asked bravely, taking a few steps to his right. He was trying to ease himself away from the man, in hopes of getting Ayame and himself to safety. His efforts were in vain, however, for each step he took, the monster took one as well.

He chuckled again, smiling as his eyes trailed over the wolves in front of him, soon to become his next victims. He lifted his hand away from his body, holding an object that glinted in the moonlight. Kouga recognized the metallic cover and immediately went into defensive mode.

"Ayame, watch out!" he screamed as the dark man brought the object over his head, intending to bring it down upon the helpless students. Kouga pushed his beloved to the floor behind him and dropped to all fours, covering Ayame's body in protection. The red head's eyes widened as she watched the scene in front of her and let out a high pitched scream.

The object came down upon them and impacted against the side of Kouga's head. He immediately let out a pained groan and flew to the side. His body slammed against the wall and he laid against the tiled floor, unmoving.

"Kouga!" Ayame screamed. Her gaze shifted between Kouga's still form and the dark figure looming overhead. Fear filled every part of her being as she became paralyzed. The red eyes seemed to gaze over her in lust and hunger, bringing the weapon over his head for a second time. She screeched in pain as the object plunged straight through her right shoulder, pining her to the ground.

"Ayame!" Kagome yelled as she ran up behind her. The rest of the group followed close behind except for Rin and Sesshomaru, who stayed back to keep an eye on Hakkaku. The female wolf demon kept her eyes shut in pain, biting her lip to hold back the tears. The figure immediately whipped his head up to see who had come to his victim's rescue. A menacing smile flitted across his lips as his eyes searched the panicked students before him.

Miroku quickly trained the flashlight on their enemy, giving everyone a view as to who the torturing monster was. Kagome's eyes widened with fear and confusion, her heart skipped a beat, as recognition dawned. Her hand went to her mouth, slightly covering it. She couldn't move, she couldn't breathe. All she could do was mutter a single word. "D ... dad?"

A/N: How was that for a twist? I must admit, some of you are pretty clever. **13thDaughter-of-the-night **and **InuyashaxKagome1994 **both guessed the killer was Kagome's dad. Congrats to you two! You get a nice round of applause! lol. Well, you were half right anyways ... So I've decided to finish this story up soon because I've got a load of stories I want to upload and I think I've dragged this on long enough. I'll try to update again soon. Thanks so much for reading and please let me know what you think. Thanks!

**Please take my poll!**


	14. The Truth Behind The Nightmare

**Through Blood and Tears**

**Chapter 14: The Truth Behind the Nightmare**

After Kagome uttered that single word, all eyes turned to her in astonishment. Inuyasha was the first to speak. "Kagome ... ?" She took a few steps back, her gaze unwavering from the monster before her. "What did you just say?" the half-demon questioned as he and everyone else waited for an answer.

She didn't have a chance to reply as a menacing chuckle rose from the dark figure's lips. It grew in volume as the group tore their eyes away from Kagome to look at the source. The man, who Kagome said to be her father, laughed at the sight in front of him. "Are you still calling me dad?" His voice thickened with hatred as it floated over the dim hallway.

"Wha ... what do you mean?" she stuttered, still in shock.

Her father only laughed again. "You mean she didn't tell you?" he asked, his eyes gleaming with vengeance.

Inuyasha growled. He was confused and feared their lives were in danger. "What the hell are you talking about, old man?" His words did not exaggerate Kagome's father's appearance. His dark hair had hints of grey in them and his face was desperately in need of a shave. His clothes were torn in places and a red substance was splattered across his shirt and pants. Dried blood drenched the man's hands. He was an unkempt demon, if Inuyasha ever saw one. It was a disgrace really. His menacing red eyes immediately shifted from Kagome to the half-demon as he spoke.

"That bitch really didn't tell you, did she Kagome?" His gaze swiveled back to the terrified girl, waiting for a reply.

"Who? Who didn't tell me? What are you talking about?" Questions poured out of Kagome's mouth as feeling slowly returned to her body. Her eyes held both fear and bewilderment as she gazed upon the man she hadn't seen in years.

"What _did _your mother tell you?" His expression turned sour as the smile fell from his lips. Everyone kept their eyes trained on the dark figure in front of them as Inuyasha glanced between the vile demon and Kagome.

"My mother? I don't understand ... " Her voice rose as it shook. Kagome's eyes darted around her father's face, searching for an answer she knew she wouldn't find.

"Didn't you ever wonder why I was taken away?" he asked, clearly irritated by her questions. He shifted his weight on his feet, causing the object jabbed into Ayame's shoulder to slightly shift, forcing a whimper from the wolf demon's lips.

Kagome glanced at her tortured friend breifly, worried for the young red head. "You left us. You left us and never came back," she replied, turning her attention back to her father.

The dark haired beauty was startled when she heard her father's cruel laughter. _What's so funny? _she thought. Sango grabbed Miroku's hand as she continued to watch the pained expression on Ayame's face. It wouldn't be long before the girl passed out from the pain or loss of blood. _We have to get Ayame away from him. _Sango thought, trying to come up with some sort of plan.

Kikyo, Naraku, and Kagura stood behind the group. Even their usual cruel or emotionless expressions showed slight awe at the sudden change of events and they stood motionless. Naraku's eyes turned to slits as he smirked. He glanced to his right and left and took a small step back.

Kagome's father's laughter died down as his expression once again turned cold. "Is that what she told you? That I just simply left?" When his daughter's silence followed, he knew she was telling the truth. "That bitch you call a mother sent me to jail. That's why I haven't been around for my son. All humans are the same, disgraceful creatures." A scowl adorned his lips as he said this last sentence.

"Jail? Why would mom send you to jail?" Kagome asked. Her confusion had yet to clear and a small headache formed.

"She told the cops that I beat her and they believed her. That's what's wrong with the world now a days; they always believe the woman in the house, especially when a demon is involved." His cool expression filled with distaste and hatred.

Kagome shook her head, not wanting to believe a word coming out of his mouth. Her mother was beaten? Her father was a full-demon? Without her consent, memories began to fill her mind. They were scattered so only a few images would appear. A vase of white roses, her mother's eyes red and puffy from crying, Kagome's mother's arm littered with bruises, the screaming as her and Souta sat in her room crying. The young woman's eyes grew wide in terror as she allowed the full memory of that fateful night to fill her senses.

_It was dark out with the gentle pounding of rain on the roof. The house was dimly lit by a few lamps scattered around the main level and a vase of white roses sat upon the counter. They were a gift to Kagome's mom from her father for their wedding anniversary a few days prior. Kagome, Souta, and her mother sat at the table eating their supper. There was a comfortable silence as they patiently waited for the return of their father. A fourteen year old Kagome looked at her mother in concern. She hadn't been speaking much lately and was always wearing a pained expression. An eight year old Souta, on the other hand, was oblivious to the changes around him._

_The three of them jumped as the front door opened and slammed into the wall behind it. There stood a dark figure. He was drenched from head to toe, but his blood red eyes gave away who the person was. Fear immediately covered her mother's face as Kagome's father took a few steps into the house._

_"Kagome, why don't you and Souta go up to your room?" Kagome turned her attention to her mother as she spoke. Her mother's expression frightened Kagome and she was only able to give a small nod._

_"Come on Souta," Kagome said as she took her younger brother's hand and led him upstairs. Souta willingly followed as he continued to glance over at his parents. Kagome led Souta into her room as she closed the door behind them, shutting off her bedroom lights in the process._

_Her parents had been fighting more often these days, although she couldn't grasp the concept of what they were fighting about. Every time a battle was about to start, Kagome's mother asked her daughter to take Souta upstairs away from the terrors of their yelling._

_Kagome sat down upon her bed as Souta crawled into her lap. She held him close as the yelling began. "Won't you play the music so the cradle will rock, to a lullaby in ragtime," Kagome softly sang as she tried to drown out the sound of the yelling. It was the song Kagome's mother had sung to them when they were children. "Sleepy hands are creeping to the end of the clock, play a lullaby in ragtime," she continued, her grip tightening on her brother._

_Even as she sang those words, her ears could pick up bits and pieces of what was being said through the closed door. "Did you really think that you could keep this a secret from me?" her father screamed. Kagome heard a soft mumble of a reply from her mother, her words were unclear. It was silent for a moment before her father's voice boomed out in rage again. "I always wondered why they never held any of my features. They don't even resemble me!"_

_Kagome heard another soft murmur of a reply as she continued to sing. "You can tell the sandman is on his way, by the way that they play, as still as the thrill of a thrush in twilight high." Her voice began to shake, tears welling behind her eyes. Souta only snuggled further into her chest, listening to her soothing voice._

_"You whore!" her father yelled, causing a single tear to fall down Kagome's cheek. "They aren't even mine! When were you going to tell me this?" Kagome heard a soft reply, picturing her mother cowering in fear of her father's anger. A loud sound echoed through the house, piercing through her heart; her father had smacked her mom._

_"So you can hear the rhythm of the ripples on the side of the boat, as you sail away to dreamland." Kagome's voice filled with agony and shook, tears freely falling down her face. She shut her eyes, trying to block out the sound of her mother's muffled screams. "High above the moon you hear a silvery note, as the sandman takes your hand." She felt her shirt absorb something wet and glanced down to see Souta crying. Her shirt was firmly gripped in his hand as he hid his tear stricken face. "So rock-a-by my baby, don't you cry my baby," Kagome continued._

_She heard sirens in the distance and searched the night to see red and blue flashing lights as they came closer to her home. "Sleepy-time is nigh. Won't you rock me to a ragtime lullaby." Her heart pounded furiously in her chest. The front door was slammed open and she heard a hoard of footsteps trudging through the kitchen, followed by a string of shouts and threats. "So rock-a-by my baby, don't you cry my baby, sleepy-time is nigh." Kagome's words were just above a whisper now as she sat in the darkness, cradling her younger brother close to her heart._

_Struggling was heard through the door and she realized what happened. Someone had heard the screams from her parents and had called the cops. They were there now, taking her father away in special handcuffs to restrain his demon strength. "Won't you rock me to a ragtime lullaby." Kagome sang as she heard her father's yells outside now, cursing his wife's name to the heavens. "So rock-a-by my baby, don't you cry my baby." Footsteps and gentle voices approached her bedroom door. "Sleepy-time is nigh, won't you rock me to a ragtime lullaby." As she finished the final verse, her door opened to reveal her mother and two police officers._

_Tears fell freely from her mother's eyes as she softly took a few steps towards her children. She kneeled before them and ran a hand through Souta's hair. Kagome made eyes contact with her, tears clouding her own vision. "I'm sorry, Kagome," she whispered, her eyes piercing through Kagome's heart. "I'm so sorry."_

Kagome fell to her knees as the memory played in her mind. Inuyasha immediately jumped to her side, putting a comforting arm around her shoulder. Her hands braced herself on the ground in front of her as tears fell from her eyes. She had tried so hard to block out the painful memories; to forget the look of hatred in her own father's eyes.

"Why, dad, why did you do it?" Kagome asked, referring to his abuse of her mother and the killings of her classmates. Her gaze still focused on the floor beneath her while her shoulders shook as she sobbed, but her voice was strong and clear.

"You're still calling me dad? Don't you realize the truth?" She could hear the emotions in her father's voice. "I'm not your father, you insolent little wench." Kagome's head snapped up at the accusations. She was glad that she was on the ground already or else her knees would have buckled from beneath her.

"What ... what do you mean?" she blurted out.

"You're mother had an affair behind my back a week before our wedding." His voice was cold and his expression stony. "And I even found that she had an affair, with the same guy, only a few years after that. It took me fourteen years to figure it out, but when I did, your mother tried to apologize." He shook his head at the memories and then gave out a small chuckle. "She tried to fucking apologize."

Kagome couldn't move as her mind blanked. Her head dropped back down, tears pricking her eyes. Inuyasha looked on with concern as he saw the expressions change on Kagome's face. He growled dangerously in his throat, angered by the man who caused Kagome so much pain. The man didn't seem to notice as his gaze fixed solely on Kagome.

"Why?" came a small whisper beside the half-demon. Kagome's bangs hid her eyes as tears streamed down her face. "Why did you do this?" she asked again. Her heart felt as if it was being ripped apart.

A smile appeared on the man's face. "I wanted to cause you pain. You are an accident, never meant to be. You are the result of the whore I once loved and the man who stole her away. You are a piece of rotten filth, undeserving of life itself." Kagome's expression was unchanging as the man she used to see as a father spoke those words.

Inuyasha cracked his knuckle, with intent to rip the man to shreds, but knew that there was no way he could over power him. The man might look weak, but Inuyasha could see the muscles that had been built over the two years he had spent in the demon prison. "Don't listen to him, Kagome," he whispered so only she could hear.

Kagome slightly nodded her head in response as she brought her gaze to the man's blood red eyes. Her mother's screams filled her mind as anger slowly took control of her own emotions.

The man dropped his gaze from Kagome's and took in the look of terror on Ayame's face. "This will be one more thing that will hurt you, one more thing that will cause you pain." He smiled wickedly as he twisted the object into Ayame's shoulder, causing her to scream out in pain. The next scene went by so fast, Kagome could barely catch her breath.

A/N: Alright, sorry for the wait, but here is the next chapter. Now, I know the facts seem a bit sketchy, and there are many questions you might have, but they will all be answered before the end of the story. If you want, just ask the question in a review and I'll make sure its answered, but most of them won't be known until the last two chapters, which I'm guessing will be between 17-19. Not quite sure yet. Anyways, thanks for reading and please review to let me know what you think.

P.S. This is the first story I got over 100 reviews on! *Happy Dance!*

**I have put up a new poll. The last one was just too sloppy because I kept changing everything. As of now, I won't be adding any new ideas until I can get some of the listed ones out. So please take it and let me know which ones you'd like to see next. Thanks!**


	15. Fight For Their Lives

_A/N: So, here is that chapter you've all been waiting for. Probably not the best fic to read on a day like today, aka V-day, but if you've had a crappy day like me or are just one of those people who have no time for love at the moment, this chapter is dedicated to you. Happy (belated) Valentine's Day!_

**Through Blood and Tears**

**Chapter 15: Fight for Their Lives**

"We should help them," Rin mumbled, glancing at the door for what seemed like the tenth time since the group had run out in a haste to help their friends. Sesshomaru glanced at her before returning his gaze to the spot across from him. "They need help, they're in trouble."

"Why?" Sesshomaru's stotic voice sounded in the classroom.

She gave him a curious glance. "What do you mean?"

"Why try to protect them, knowing you will fail?" His amber eyes bore into her own, cold and emotionless, and yet she saw a warmth protruding from their depths.

The bubbly girl smiled softly. "I can't just sit by and do nothing while my friends are out there, doing whatever they can to save each other." Determination flashed through her eyes as she made up her mind, hopping down from the desk she sat upon. She took a few steps towards the door before she stopped.

"Rin," he called, watching her movements.

"Yes, Sesshomaru?" she responded, turning to face him.

"Do you intend to help them?" She replied with a curt nod. "Then you will stay and care for the wolf." He left no room for argument and Rin obediently followed his orders, knowing the dog demon was correct. After all, she had no weapon or strength to fight with. If she ran to help, she would only be in the way.

"Lord Sesshomaru?" she questioned in respect, receiving a raised eyebrow from the stotic man. It wasn't every day that he was called with such formality, especially since his father's kingdom perished long ago. "Why don't you help? You surely are strong and skilled enough to battle."

"The half-breed is the one who has those to protect. This Sesshomaru will not stand in his way." He went back to his emotionless facade, leaving Rin to wonder about his cold heart as she worked on reassessing Hakkaku's wounds.

* * *

"Ayame!" Sango screamed, letting go of Miroku's hand and running towards the screaming girl.

"Wait!" her boyfriend called after her, watching the demon turn his eyes upon the couple. The man, who had taken lives with his own hands, was too fast as he quickly removed the solid object from the wolf demon's shoulder and swung it at Sango. Hard.

The brunette flew backwards, slamming against Miroku. He struggled to keep his footing, but the force was too great and he smashed into the row of lockers behind them, causing a dent to appear. A stream of blood spurt from his mouth from the impact before he lost consciousness. Sango rested a hand against her ribs and coughed, watching the hazy figure of their attacker take steps closer to them.

"I don't think so," Inuyasha yelled, releasing his grip on Kagome and running to his friends' sides. "Argh!" he yelled, plummeting his fist towards Kagome's father, not realizing the demon's speed. In a flash, the man was gone, leaving the half-demon's fist to clash with the tiled floor. His ears flickered on his head, detecting the vile man's movement, before quickly jumping into the air to avoid the claws aimed at his neck.

As soon as his feet hit the floor, Kagome's father swung a kick beneath him, knocking Inuyasha to the ground. Rolling out of the way, he barely missed the man's fist colliding with the floor. "Inuyasha!" Kikyo called out desperately, taking a few steps towards her former beloved.

"No, stay back!" he warned, knowing a mere human had no chance with a demon. He continued to roll back and forth on the ground, dodging the flailing fists, before finding an opening. He struck his claws against the demon's cheek, taking the opportunity to jump back; putting distance between them.

"Inuyasha," Kagome whispered, tears in her eyes, as she watched him battle the man she believed to be her father. "You need help ..." Knowing if she fought she would only be in the way, she glanced around for anything that could help him. Spotting Kouga's crumpled form, she slowly began crawling her way towards the wolf, keeping her eyes on her father's back. He was occupied with Inuyasha at the moment and unaware of the other members of her group.

The demon's gaze shifted from the half-demon before him, taking sight of his 'daughter' crawling across the room. "Where do you think you're going, bitch?" he snarled, taking an impressive jump against the span of the hallway to pounce upon her. Kagome leaned back and covered her eyes with her arm as he straddled her tiny body. "Trying to run, are we?"

"Kagome, duck!" she heard Inuyasha yell, immediately doing as she was told. A flash of red and silver sent the man stumbling forward from the force of Inuyasha ramming into his back. As soon as she found room, Kagome rolled to the side and got up, making her way to the opposite side of the hallway, away from Ayame and Kouga.

Kikyo and Kagura jumped out of the way to stay clear of the large demon who charged through them, trying to stop the force Inuyasha had inflicted upon him. He finally stumbled and collided with the floor, leaving a smirking Inuyasha as he dropped from the air. He flexed his claws, preparing for another attack. "Had enough?" he asked.

An unexpected chuckle rose from the man's throat, causing Inuyasha to growl in response. "You think you can defeat me." It was more of a statement then a question. He rose from his position and wiped his arm across his chin to clear away the trickle of blood spilling over his lips. His eyes deepened to a dark red, indicating his anger.

Before Inuyasha could blink, the demon plunged a fist through his gut, sending a spray of blood from his mouth, followed by a grunt. "Inuyasha!" Kagome called, looking on in horror as the man she loved was brought down by her father.

"Heh, heh, heh ... a mere half-breed such as this has no hope to have power." He carelessly threw Inuyasha aside, sliding his fist from his stomach in the process. His body crashed against the wall before falling to the tile with a sickening sound.

"You bastard," Kagura called out, surprising the group with her words. As she distracted him, Sango turned around, wincing in pain, to assess her boyfriend's wounds.

"Miroku," she whispered, trying to rouse the injured man. He mumbled something and his brows furrowed in pain. "Miroku!" she hissed, flickering her eyes back to the demon, making sure he was preoccupied. "You have to get up, come on!"

"Oh ..." he groaned, lifting a hand to steady it against his head. "What happened?"

"There's no time! We have to help Inuyasha." At the mention of his friend's name, Miroku's violet eyes snapped open and his vision cleared. He glanced around the hallway, taking noticed of Kouga's form. Ayame sat nearby, propping her back up against the wall, trying to stop the blood spilling from her wounded shoulder.

On the opposite side, Inuyasha stirred, trying desperately to rise from his place on the floor. A gaping hole was left in his chest, spilling a pool of blood onto the tile and staining it red. "Inuyasha," Miroku whispered, ignoring the pain that shot through his back as he struggled to kneel. He placed his arm on his bended knee, grasping Sango's hand. They didn't have much time before the demon killed them all.

"Stay still, witch," the demon yelled, chuckling soon after. Kagura used her control of the wind to expertly dodge his attacks, missing death by mere inches.

"You think you can beat me? I have power over the wind," she said before slamming into the lockers to avoid his claws. She quickly got up and drew a fan from her pocket. "I can decide whether or not you can strike me down." Flickering her red eyes around her classmates, she knew she couldn't back up the words she said as much as she would have liked. There was no room in the hallway to use her Dance of Blades, unless she was willing to risk decapitating her fellow students.

The man stilled his movements, watching as Kagura faced him. Her breaths were heavy and uneven, evidence of her weak stamina. A smile spread across his lips. "Kagura, do you not understand that I can kill you in an instant?"

She glared and a scowl adorned her face. "Stop toying with me!" With a battle cry, she swung her fan to force a wave of wind to crash over him. His clothes rippled in the onslaught, but he did not move his feet from their position.

"Tsk, tsk, tsk ... I was hoping I would have more time to play with you." He chuckled, taking slow and steady steps towards where the wind sorceress stood.

Kagome watched helplessly as her father strode towards her classmate with an evil glint in his eye. Glancing to her right, she saw Sango and Miroku watching the wolf demons across the hallway, knowing they were the only ones that could help right now. "But they can't fight ..." she murmured, trying to think of a way to save them all. Then her mind flickered to a certain dog demon. "Sango," she called quietly, trying to avoid her father's sensitive ears.

The brunette turned to her, glad to see her friend unscathed. "What is it, Kagome?" she asked, crawling towards her.

"We have to get Sesshomaru. He's the only one that can help." Recognition flashed across Sango's face before she gave a curt nod.

Miroku came up beside his beloved, leaning his shoulder heavily against the lockers. "I don't think we can get to him," he gasped, grabbing both of the girl's attention. "He's down the hallway, pass your father. The only way to get to him would be to create a distraction."

Sango's eyes lost their hope and she glanced at her boyfriend. She shook her head. "The only ones capable of that are Inuyasha and Kouga, but they're both down."

"Well," Kagome said, glancing back at her father. "We'll have to make do with what we have."

Her friend's eyed her suspiciously. "You don't mean ..." Miroku said, his sentence trailing off.

"Kagome, are you crazy?" the brunette practically shouted. "You can not use yourself as bait. You'll be dead long before we can get to Sesshomaru."

She shook her head. "No, I'm certain he'll want to make my death long and painful. Even if he was able to get me, I can still buy you guys some time." Her tone gave no room for argument.

They paused a moment in thought. "Don't you die on me, Kagome," Sango finally said grasping her ribs in pain.

"I won't," she replied, smiling reassurance.

Before she could change her mind, Kagome stood up and walked away from her injured friends. Her father was still attacking Kagura, but the wind sorceress appeared to be losing. With another hit, her fan flew from her hand and skidded across the floor before stopping. She casted a worried look in its direction before turning her attention back to her enemy. "Now, you shall die," he said calmly, flexing his claws and raising his hand above his head.

"Kagura!" Kagome screamed, running towards her friend, already knowing it was too late.

The demon plunged his hand through her chest, squeezing her heart, and receiving a gasp in surprise. He smiled. "Bastard, damn you ..." were her last words as Kagura slumped off his hand and to the tiled floor. Light faded from her crimson eyes and her chest stopped rising when no more breath entered her lungs.

"No," Kagome whispered, covering her hand with her mouth. It couldn't be true.

Kikyo slowly knelt down to Kagura's lifeless form, glancing over her only true friend. "Kagura," she whispered, emotion wavering in her usual icy voice. Her hand lifted to brush a stray piece of hair from the woman's face. Finally, after a moment to grieve, she stood up, fisting her hands at her sides. Raising her eyes to glare at the man who had caused Kagura's death, she spoke. "You vile beast. You killed her." Rare tears dotted her auburn eyes before spilling down her flushed cheeks.

Kagome's father chuckled. "She was such an easy prey, no fun at all." He looked over the woman's appearance and watched as she took a step forward. "So, you wish to challenge me? You're nothing but a weak human."

Inuyasha rose on his hands and knees, coughing up blood. "Kikyo," he whispered, raising his head to look up as his former love proceeded with vengeance.

"Don't do it, Kikyo," Kagome yelled, making no move to help her classmate. "You'll get yourself killed."

The woman in question sent a heated glare towards Kagome. "I do not fear death, Kagome." She turned her gaze back to the man before her. And in a whisper so soft, only those close enough could hear, she said, "what I fear is being alone."

The demon laughed, his fangs protruding from his lips. "Then I shall put you out of your misery." With a final glance at Inuyasha, Kikyo smiled, feeling his claws rip through her abdomen, sending pain through every fiber of her being.

"Go to hell," she whispered, smiling as she fell back to lay on Kagura's corpse. She shut her eyes, allowing her tears to escape their confinement and pool on the tile beneath her.

"Kikyo!" Sango shouted, feeling anger take over her hatred towards the girl. Before Miroku could stop her, she lunged at the demon's back. He smiled and sidestepped her attack, leaving her fist to burst through the air. In a flash, his knee found her stomach and blood spurted from her lips. He then elbowed her in the back, practically squeezing the life out of her. With a final kick, he sent her flying through the air.

"Sango," Miroku yelled, running to catch her before she collided with the tiled floor. She crashed into his body, sending him falling against a row of lockers and hitting his head in the process, rendering them both unconscious.

Kagome stared speechless at the mess in front of her. Blood stained the white tile, spilling from her friends' wounds. Ayame and Inuyasha were looking at her, wondering what her next move would be. Besides them, no one was making it evident they were alive.

"And now," her father said, making her swing her gaze to him. Would he kill her in the same manner he had done to Kagura and Kikyo? "Time to rid the world of the wench who took my life away." He took a few steps towards Kagome. She could only stand there, paralyzed with fear as her father took out a concealed gun. How ironic, to be killed by something not of demon nature, but a weapon made by humans.

He smiled menacingly and cocked it; a clicking noise echoing through the silent hallway. "Goodbye, my dear."

A/N: OKay, so hopefully you liked this chapter. I'm apologizing right now, because the next chapter is going to be a bit on the short side. This story is not over yet, I'm guessing around four or five chapters left. I have yet to completely write out the ending, but I know how its going to go. As always, thanks for reading and please review!

**New poll up!**


	16. Run!

**Through Blood and Tears**

**Chapter 16: Run!**

"Run, Kagome!" Inuyasha shouted, pulling her out of her trance. She whipped her head in his direction and watched his amber eyes fill with concern and fear. Giving him one last look, she turned around and ran in the opposite direction. Kagome dashed pass a corner, hearing her feet pound against the tile as her heart thumped loudly in her chest.

"You bastard!" she heard Inuyasha yell from behind her before a slam was heard. It wasn't long before a chuckle rose from her father's lips and someone was thrown into the wall. She cringed, only praying that the half-demon was okay. Soon, footsteps followed after her at a steady pace. She didn't need to look back to know her father was right behind her. She could imagine his menacing smile on his lips as he walked casually down the hallway, knowing he could finish her off in an instant. His blood red eyes gazing over her in hunger and with the intent to kill.

A loud bang echoed through the school and she felt a bullet graze her arm. She screamed in agony, but continued to push herself harder, holding her arm to stop the flow of blood. Kagome ran faster, picking up speed as she sped down the hallway. As she rounded another corner, she tripped and flew across the floor. A groan sounded from her throat as her arm hit the ground, only injuring her more. Taking no time to look back, she picked herself up and continued to sprint away from the man whom she no longer could call a father.

She noticed a door at the end of the passage, a dull red exit sign hung above it. Tears streamed down her cheeks as she felt the burn in her legs, propelling her body forward. She reached the door and put both hands on the handle, yanking it in an attempt to open it. "Damn it," she yelled when it made no move to budge. The frightened girl spun around to face her attacker, glancing everywhere to find some way to save herself.

A group of folding chairs were scattered on the floor at her feet. Knowing it was a risk, she picked one of them up and threw it at the window. Only a crack erupted from the attack and it took severl more hits with the chair for it to finally fly from her hands and out the window pane. The glass shattered and fragments spilled out into the parking lot beyond. "Where do you think you're going?" she heard her father call from behind her. Wasting no time, she ripped off parts of her shirt and wound it around both of her hands. Gripping the siding, she tried to hoist herself carefully out the window.

"Ow!" she screamed as a rather large piece of glass pierced through her hand while she straddled the window. Doubling over in pain, she fell outside, landing on the glass-splattered cement with a sickening thump.

As his footsteps got closer, she pulled herself off the ground and began running once more. The sky was fading to a grey as the sun peeked over the horizon. Crisp air blew about as the cold night dwindled under the rising sunlight. Her mind told her to go to the police station, but her legs wouldn't listen. Instead of heading to the left, knowing the exact five block path to the station, she ran straight.

Her nightmares became a reality as she continued to run down the partially dark and quiet street. The only sound was the pounding on the pavement from her footsteps and those of her follower's. Her father's footsteps continued to fade as she ran, knowing she wouldn't be safe until he was dealt with. Even as the only sound became her own breathing, she continued to run, rounding a corner and then another, watching as her house came into view.

Terror washed over her, flashbacks of her nightmare coming to mind, as she pushed her legs to run faster. Dashing up the long flight of steps, Kagome tripped near the top. She stole a glance behind her, expecting to see her father's blood red eyes, but instead, only silence greeted her. Her gaze searched the street, watching and waiting. Maybe she lost him? Not likely. Deciding not to try her luck, she picked herself off the ground and headed into her house, shutting and locking the door behind her.

Kagome's breaths were heavy and uneven, a thin sheen of sweat covering her brow. Her lungs begged for more oxygen and her arm throbbed from the bullet's attack. Swallowing, she stepped into the kitchen and peeked out of the blinds to glance over the lawn. Finding no one, she sighed in relief. Maybe she was safe. Her heart pounded in her ears, as if it were to burst right out of her chest.

Leaning against the counter, she took a glance around the house, finally noticing how quiet and dark it was. "Mom?" she called out in a whisper, not knowing why she did. "Souta? Grandpa?" Only deafening silence greeted her.

Fear overwhelmed her as she thought about her nightmare, the one with her family's death. Taking a few steps towards the stairs, the floorboards creaked beneath her weight. "Mom?" Kagome yelled out, refusing to go up the stairs. She was scared at what lay in her bedroom. None the less, when no one replied, she lifted her foot, heavy with despair

Already she had seen most of her classmates injured, maybe some killed. She didn't have the emotional strength to deal with anything else. Her heart pounded in her chest and she swallowed the lump in her throat as she made it to the top. Her first thoughts were to go check each of the rooms, but her gut told her the truth; no one was occupying those rooms. She heard a muffled moan come from the bedroom at the end of the hallway and she swallowed the lump in her throat as she took a hold of her door knob.

It creaked open and the first thing that hit her was the smell of blood. It was overpowering, even to her. Then her gaze landed on the sight before her and she became paralyzed with horror. Kagome's body went numb as her eyes darted around the room.

Her mother was lying on her bed, drenched in her own blood. Souta was in her arms, a look of fright etched into his face. Her grandfather, ever so protective, had taken his place on the floor, undoubtedly trying to protect his daughter and grandson. Blood dripped from his lips and his aged hands gripped a piece of black cloth, torn from his killer's clothing. A single white rose had been placed on her mother's unmoving form.

Kagome took a step forward, trying to recover from the shock. "Mom?" she whispered, knowing that the woman in question wouldn't answer. A breeze blew by, directing her attention to her own window. Her gaze quickly darted around the room, taking notice of the red eyes gleaming from the dark corner. "No ... " she said in a muted whisper. Shaking her head, she didn't waste any time as she ran out of the room.

Footsteps echoed behind her as she ran dow the stairs, heavier and filled with more hatred then her father's. Her breathing became ragged and the pain in her arm seemed to amplify, shooting through her body in rage.

She whipped around the corner, ready to run out the front door. Kagome slammed into it, realizing that it had been locked ... from the outside. Even so, her sweat-coated hands tried desperately to open the door. A loud chuckle rose from the other side. "Don't you see, Kagome," her father said, his voice muffled by the door. "You are powerless to stop fate. You are meant to die here, just like my son is meant to kill you."

Confusion mixed with her anger as she stopped struggling with the door. A floorboard creaked behind her from weight. Slowly, she turned around to face the man who was going to take her life. Red eyes met her own as she saw the killer's wavy black hair and menacing smile. "Na ... Naraku?" she questioned, surprised to see her classmate. "What ... what are you doing?"

He chuckled. "You aren't as slow as you look," he said with a smile. "I didn't think I would have enough time to get here and take the life of your beloved mother." Metal glinted in the sunlight as he took out a pistol. Kagome held her arm, watching his movements. "You should have been here when I killed her. The screams of pain rising from her throat as she desperately tried to protect her son. And that old man ..." He shook his head in amusement. "Those sacred sutras couldn't hurt a fly."

"Why?" she asked, knowing that there was no room for escape. Her father was on the other side of the door while Naraku was before her. She could only try and buy time, hoping Inuyasha and the others would be able to get help.

"You just don't understand, do you Kagome?" He cocked the pistol and pointed it at her head. "Your mother betrayed us. She pretended to love my father and I, pretended to have feelings for us both. But in her eyes, we weren't worthy of human love." His glare hardened as his lips formed into a scowl. "Now, you shall pay the price for her mistakes."

She cringed as he steadied his hand, placing his finger over the trigger. Nobody was going to save her this time; nobody was going to wake her from this nightmare. This was real. Glass shattered nearby and Kagome squinted her eyes and turned her head as a loud bang sounded, waiting for some sort of impact.

A/N: I know, I know! You probably hate me right now because of such a short chapter. Especially considering that it ended much in the same way. But if I added it to the one before this, it would have been too long. Besides, I had to reveal the little bit about Naraku. Well, I'm going to drop some more bad news on you. The next chapter won't be out for a while because I've been neglecting my other stories and want to start working on future projects. I hope to update within a week, but it may be longer. Thanks for reading and please review. I love to know what you think!

**New poll up!**


	17. Life or Death

**Through Blood and Tears**

**Chapter 17: Life or Death**

It was quiet. The dreaded echos from earlier had ceased, leaving silence to hang thick in the air. A single gun-shot and a scream ringed through the building before footsteps faded away. Anxious and concerned, Rin stood in the classroom with Sesshomaru and Hakkaku's injured form. She swallowed a lump in her throat, licking her dry lips in anticipation. Her eyes were glued to the closed door, her hands clasped together almost in prayer, and her heart pounded furiously in her chest.

Slams and thumps had been sounding through the school, causing her stomach to churn with nausea. But now the eerie stillness was much worse. Her ears rang and she could hear the air stir with each intake of breath. "Sesshomaru," she breathed, unable to form a complete sentence.

The dog demon seemed to glide across the floor and appeared beside her, his ears listening to the gasps and groans from the injured students. "Rin," he commanded in a hard tone, eyeing the girl. "Its safe."

She replied with a slight nod of her head before taking a glimpse at Hakkau. He had slipped into some sort of unconscious state, and although his pulse was faint, she was sure he would be alright for the time being. Taking a few steps forward, her hands shook with fear as she gripped the handle and slowly turned the knob, opening the door to reveal the dark passage beyond. Rin clenched her jaw and took a moment to get a hold of her emotions before making her way out into the hallway.

The dim emergency lights flickered overhead, some having gone out all together. Her anxiety dissipated as she felt Sesshomaru's presence behind her, giving her inner strength to continue in the direction her friends had taken off in. The stench of blood hung heavy in the air and she found dents in lockers as she proceeded through the darkness. A moan escaped from the right and she stopped. Her heart fluttered in her chest for a moment before she found courage and set her gaze on the body just beyond the next hallway.

Inuyasha was slumped against the wall, his arm bathed in blood as it covered his abdomen. The usual attentive white ears atop his head were drooped and his amber eyes were glazed over with pain. He coughed and spit up blood, moaning as he twisted his body the wrong way. Bones cracked and fell into place as he bit his lip, drawing crimson liquid as it trickled down his chin. "Damn it," he gasped, his breathing labored.

Rin stepped into the light, glancing over her injured friend. "Inuyasha?" she called hesitantly.

The half-demon's eyes startled and swiveled to stare at the petite girl before him. "Rin," he said softly, his voice almost relieved for her presence. "What are you doing here?"

"That's a silly question," she said calmly. She knelt down beside him and began assessing his wounds, trying to determine how serious they were. "Sesshomaru and I stayed back in the classroom. When it got quiet, I got worried." Her kind brown eyes found his and they seemed to plead for answers.

"Keh," he replied gruffly, leaning against the wall as he struggled to stand. "Don't worry about me. I can take care of myself."

The great dog demon stepped forward. "It seems as if you failed to kill him, little brother," he said.

A growl sounded from Inuyasha's throat. "Fuck off," he replied, stumbling forward. "I don't have time for you. I have to save Kagome." With a determined glint in his eye, he began walking in the direction the demon and Kagome had run off in.

"Inuyasha!" Rin yelled out, stopping him in his tracks. He turned around to face her. "Those are terrible wounds. You won't stand a chance. Let Sesshomaru go and protect Kagome."

"As if!" he spat, his face twisting into a look of disgust. "I would never put her in the hands of my brother. Ain't gonna happen!"

She sighed, knowing that there was no reasoning with him. "At least would you tell us what happened?"

He turned around once more, looking over his shoulder. "There isn't any time. Help the others. I have to save Kagome." With that, he ran off in a blur of silver.

"Hn," Sesshomaru grunted, watching his brother disappear around another corner. "Foolish half-breed."

Rin managed to locate the rest of her classmates and, with some desperate pleading, she convinced her demon companion to help her. They set about gathering the wounded and setting them along one wall. "Sango, Miroku," the small girl called, kneeling down to where her friends lay. "Wake up." She shook them gently, trying to pry them out of slumber.

"Oh," Miroku groaned, his hand wandering to the slender girl beside him. "Will you bear me a child, love?"

A smack resounded through the hallway, gaining an annoyed glance from Sesshomaru as he shifted Kouga's unconscious form into a sitting position. "You lecher!" Sango screamed, suddenly awake and glaring at the man who held her heart. Immediately following her blurted statement came a yelp as pain flooded into her muscles. She fell against the lockers, clutching her stomach and gasping for breath.

Miroku, noticing his girlfriend's injuries, became cautious of his own and moved to a more comfortable position. "Sango, are you alright?" he asked, cupping his palm against her cheek. She smiled in reassurance, but he did not miss the pain that passed through her eyes. He frowned.

"You've been out for a bit," Rin provided, knowing they were seeking answers. "I'm not sure exactly what happened, but Inuyasha ran off to save Kagome."

"That's right," Miroku replied gravely, glancing around the bloodied hallway and his injured friends. "We tried to fend off Kagome's father, but we were no match for a demon with such strength." His violet eyes stared at Rin for a moment, an unseen conversation passing through their gazes. "He was greatly injured when he took off, wasn't he?"

She nodded solemnly. "I'm afraid so. He told me to look after you guys. Do you think you'd be able to help me?"

"Of course," Sango said, grimacing in pain. "Me and Miroku will go get help. You stay here and tend to the wounded."

Miroku helped her stand, slinging her arm over his shoulder. "But who will stay with Rin while we're gone?"

A soft smile blessed Rin's lips. "Sesshy will stay. He can help." The stotic demon lord seemed to eye her a moment at the nickname, but he paid it no heed, rather he decided to let it pass for the time being. After all, even he knew there was a time and place.

Miroku picked up the flashlight that had fallen out of his grasp during the battle and placed it in her hands. "Be safe," he cautioned. She nodded and watched as the couple shuffled by.

"Sesshomaru," Sango said as they passed him. "You better not let anything happen to her, or I will personally see to your death." Her glare did little to stir him, but he raised an eyebrow in amusement.

"Is that a threat?" he asked.

She shook her head. "No, that's a promise." Before any more words could be exchanged between them, Miroku led his injured girlfriend away, taking out his cellphone in the process. Although they could get no service in the building, they might have some luck outside. Stealing a final glance over his shoulder at the group of classmates, he hoped they would all pull through, knowing some would have to receive miracles in order for that to happen. He sighed and continued to drag them towards the dull exit sign.

Rin turned away from Miroku and Sango's retreating figures and back to the mess at hand. They had managed to seat Kouga against the wall alongside Ayame, who was passed out when they arrived. Naraku was nowhere in sight and the only remaining figures were Kikyo and Kagura's bodies. Rin knelt beside them and, with a closer look, she realized the two were dead. "Kagura?" she whispered, hoping to bring her back from the darkness of death. Tears stung her eyes and slipped through her crescent-moon eyelashes. Using the back of her hand, she brush away the tears, knowing she had to stay strong for her friends' sakes.

A ragged cough sounded beside her and she whipped her head in that direction. Kikyo's body shook with the involuntary muscles spasms as her lungs gasped for breath. "Kikyo?" she called, hope lacing her tone.

"Rin?" she asked, her eyes searching her dulled vision.

"Yeah, I'm right here," she replied, taking the girl's hand in her own. Kikyo's palm was cold as ice, evident from the close proximity she was to death. "You're going to be fine." Her words were a lie, she was sure, but she had to do something to bring hope amongst them.

Kikyo swallowed, her throat dry and aching. "I'm ... so-sorry ... " she said, her voice cracking. "I did ... didn't mean to .... get us de-deten-tion." She smiled weakly, sweat dripping down her forehead and coating her skin.

"Don't be silly," Rin assured, returning the smile. "We all got ourselves in trouble. Maybe if we had all grown up sooner, this would have never happened."

The dying girl beside her attempted to laugh, but only managed to choke instead. "Yeah, well I guess f-fate had something else in ... store for us." A gasp escaped her lips just then, her body convulsing into a fit of coughs. She wheezed as it subsided, setting her arm on the hole in her stomach. "I j-just wish I had m-more time."

Rin's eyes hardened. "Don't you speak like that, Kikyo. You're going to pull through, I just know it." Her grip tightened around her patient's hand. "You stay with me, Kikyo. Do you hear me? You keep breathing!"

Her shouts were unheard because although Kikyo could see her lips moving and feel her hand around her own, the words were muffled. "Okay ... " she finally responded, her eyes drooping. "Okay ... "

* * *

Inuyasha barreled out of the school, dashing through the shattered window Kagome had escaped from moments earlier. He ignored the sting in his abdomen as his feet seemed to fly across the concrete. The world around him became a blur as he propelled himself to move faster, dread seeping into his thoughts.

Memories of his time with Kagome flashed through his mind. He couldn't lose her. She had been his only true friend since before he could remember and he would be damned to see her death because of his foolish actions. If only he hadn't fought Kouga in the cafeteria, if only he hadn't been jealous of Kouga's love for Kagome, if only ... if only he had told her how much he cared for her earlier ... then maybe none of this would have happened.

He felt the sidewalk gravel crunch beneath his steps as he veered around a corner, following the scent of Kagome's blood. She had been injured no doubt, most likely from the bullet. Inuyasha could only hope that it hadn't been a fatal shot. And even if it wasn't, who's to say that her father didn't tear her to shreds?

"Kagome ... " he growled, feeling as if he couldn't move fast enough. "Don't you die on me!"

It seemed as if hours had passed before he reached the entrance to the Higurashi shrine. In one leap, he bounded up the long flight of steps and straight towards the house where the scent seemed to linger. Someone was standing outside the door and Inuyasha was quick to dive behind a tree. He gripped his stomach as the pain finally caught up to him and a low groan escaped in the process.

Luckily, the figure at the doorway hadn't heard him and the half-demon trained his senses upon the man. When he noticed it was Kagome's father, smirk and all, he felt anger boil within him. Not only had the bastard injured Kagome, but he was smiling about it.

Inuyasha pressed the balls of his shoes into the ground, readying himself to attack him, but a sound coming from inside the house stopped him. "Don't you see, Kagome," the demon was saying, as if he were talking through the door. "You are powerless to stop fate. You are meant to die here, just like my son is meant to kill you."

Confusion flashed through the silver-haired man, wondering who this 'son' could be. Did Kagome have another brother other than Souta? His ears zeroed in on the sounds beyond the closed door, straining to hear the girl's response. "Na ... Naraku?" he heard her say softly, surprise in her voice. Without another thought, Inuyasha bared his fangs and began creeping through the trees. If he were to attack Kagome's father now, he wouldn't have the time nor the strength to save Kagome. And her safety came first. "What ... what are you doing?"

Golden spheres glowed in the approaching dawn. Slipping up against the side of the house, he pressed his back against the wall, wincing as another twinge of pain shot through his stomach. "You aren't as slow as you look," he heard Naraku say, the words clearer now that he was in close proximity. "I didn't think I would have enough time to get here and take the life of your beloved mother. You should have been here when I killed her. The screams of pain rising from her throat as she desperately tried to protect her son. And that old man ... those sacred sutras couldn't hurt a fly." Inuyasha detected the amusement in Naraku's voice and he could no longer hold back his desire to kill.

How could someone put a woman as kind as Kagome through so much pain? "Why?" his beloved asked, her tone deflated of hope. Did she really believe that Inuyasha wouldn't come to her aid? The half-demon peeked his head around the corner, eyeing up the situation. If he were to knock down Kagome's father, he may have a chance to break down the door. But at what cost? In the process he could risk injuring her along with having two strong enemies to fight at once. There was a fine line between courage and suicidal.

"You just don't understand, do you Kagome?" Naraku said, cocking what sounded like a gun. "Your mother betrayed us. She pretended to love my father and I, pretended to have feelings for us both. But in her eyes, we weren't worthy of human love. Now, you shall pay the price for her mistakes."

Growling, Inuyasha could no longer sit by and wait for her death. Without another moment of hesitation, he jumped through the front window as the glass shattered to pieces, his fangs and claws barred. A gun shot sounded as his feet hit the floor and he tackled Naraku to the ground. Caught off-guard with the sudden attack, the gun flew from Naraku's hand and slid across the floor. He immediately placed his arms in front of his face and tried to block the punches Inuyasha threw at him. The half-demon's eyes flickered between red and gold for each hit that made contact.

"Inuyasha ... " Kagome called, a quiver in her tone. Startled by her voice, he stopped his assault on his enemy and glanced up. Her eyes were wide with surprise as she stared at him. Blood stained her shirt and hands as she desperately tried to stop the flow. Stumbling back, she slammed into the door and slid down to the floor, unable to hold her slim frame up. A trail of crimson liquid colored the door as it followed her descent.

"Kagome!" he shouted in concern, having all but forgotten the enemy pinned beneath him.

Using the girl as a distraction, Naraku flung Inuyasha off of him, throwing him across the room and into a wall. He immediately rose to his feet and began to chase down the silver-haired half-demon. "So, you think you can kill me?" the dark man asked, a smirk flitting across his lips.

Inuyasha struggled to his hands and knees, coughing up blood in the process. If only he didn't have a hole in his gut, then maybe he would have stood a chance. For the time-being, he already knew the battle had been lost, but with Kagome's life on the line, he was far from giving up. "You bastard," he growled, watching his enemy come closer.

Naraku's blood-red eyes glared at the helpless student. "Such a pity. If you had only left the girl to die, I might have spared your life." He stepped closer to him and pressed his heel into Inuyasha's hand, receiving a yelp from the injured boy's throat. "Should I kill you now? Or should I force you to watch the girl's death?"

Their eyes swiveled to glance at the dying girl near the door. She seemed to have become unconscious, but the blood continued to pool onto the floor with no signs of stopping. "Kagome ... " Inuyasha mumbled, trying to think of a way to save her life. All odds seemed to be against him.

A piece of glass fell from the shattered window, alerting the twosome to a fourth party. "I see you have found him." Kagome's father came around the corner, his eyes glowing in the semi-darkness. "He had always been a troublemaker, haven't you, Inuyasha?"

"What the hell are you talking about?" the silver-haired man asked, fury lacing his tone. Sizing up his enemy, he could only hope that help would come for them in time.

The demon chuckled, taking a step forward and slipping his hands into his pockets. "Don't worry, we've never met. You hadn't yet befriended her when I was taken away. But watching you these past few hours, I determined that you would be quite the nuisance. And indeed I was correct."

As the man spoke, Inuyasha's gaze was focused solely on Kagome. His ears concentrated on her body, listening to the shallow breaths escaping her throat. A low thump in her chest proved she was still alive. And that was all the motivation he needed. Suddenly, he felt a spark of strength. Watching his opponents exchange words with one another, he swiped his claws against Naraku's leg.

The dark-haired man howled in pain, retracting his foot and taking a few steps back. Using the opportunity, Inuyasha shoved off from the floor and jumped backwards, putting distance between them. He stood still for a moment, the adrenaline coursing through his veins. He wanted to dash over to Kagome's body and get her help, but his enemies stood between them. "You insolent half-breed!" Naraku yelled, anger replacing his smirk.

"Half-breed, huh?" Inuyasha taunted, placing a hand over his wounded stomach. "Well, this half-breed is going to kick your ass."

His words only seemed to fuel the man's hatred. "It is time to die," he replied, walking swiftly towards him.

Taking a step back, the injured student fell to bended knee, unable to support his weight any longer. He was losing strength fast and soon he wouldn't be able to hold his own anymore. "Burn in hell," were his words as Naraku's foot connected with his jaw, throwing him into the wall. The plaster cracked under his weight as he slid to the ground in a heap.

"Such a simpleminded boy," Kagome's father said. He took his hands out of his pockets and turned away, preparing to finish off his daughter, but was stopped by the jolt of a strong aura coming towards the house. His red eyes peered about the room. "Do you feel that?"

Naraku came up beside him, his gaze matching his father's. He smiled. "Seems as if we have a problem on our hands."

"No matter, we can handle him." Glass crunched beneath his boot as he took another step forward, preparing to fight his next opponent.

"Wait," Inuyasha groaned, struggling to sit up. He glanced up at his retreating enemies, wincing in pain.

The young demon turned to face him. "So, you're still alive, Inuyasha?" Naraku asked.

As if on cue, glass shattered in a nearby room, alerting them to someone's presence. The demon's eyes narrowed. "He's here."

A/N: I was going to make it longer, but then it would be too long and rushed a bit. So it will have to wait. Hope you liked this one, I'll start working on the next chapter right away, promise! Please review!


	18. Heartbeat

**Through Blood and Tears**

**Chapter 18: Heartbeat**

Sesshomaru stepped through the doorway, his face contorted into its usual placid self. His cold eyes glanced about the room, taking notice of his brother's mangled form. "I see you are incapable of handling battle, Inuyasha. It is a pity, but I suppose it is because of your human blood that you are unable to defeat them."

"Shut up, Sesshomaru!" he yelled in protest, rising to his feet with slight difficulty. "What the hell are you doing here?"

His gaze left him and traveled to Kagome. "It seems Rin would be inconsolable if that human girl were to die."

Taken aback by his brother's statement, Inuyasha gaped at him. "You intend ... to help us?" he asked softly, almost hesitant.

The great demon lord glared at him. "I do not give charity. I simply can not have Rin upset." Inuyasha watched as his elder brother strode towards their enemies, who had been watching the exchange.

Kagome's father smirked. "So, the great Lord Sesshomaru intends to fight?" he asked, slipping his hands into his pockets in a relaxed manner. "You do not have the power to defeat us. Isn't the fall of your father's kingdom proof enough?"

Sesshomaru didn't make a motion towards the man's words. "My father was a coward, giving his life for a lowly human, only to have her die as well. Do not compare me to such a weakling." Naraku sneered at him, his sickening smile irritating him.

He glared at the dark-haired demon, his golden eyes narrowing to slits. Naraku seemed uneffected, only enraging Sesshomaru further. "I suggest you wipe that smirk off your face," he warned.

"Is that a threat?" his opponent asked, seemingly calm in spite of facing a much stronger demon.

Suddenly, Naraku was thrust against the wall, Sesshomaru gripping his throat as his nails dug into his flesh. The pinned man had no time to counteract the attack as he was forcefully thrown across the room, colliding into a table before falling onto the floor.

With elegant moves, Sesshomaru gracefully stepped towards the enemy before disappearing. Moments later, he was spotted behind Kagome's father, his claws swiping down towards the man's head.

Detecting the movement, he sidestepped the attack and landed a kick backwards in hopes to strike his opponent. The silver-haired demon managed to avoid the strike unscathed, but had not accounted for Naraku's persistence. He had managed to rise from his place on the floor and charged the teenager's back, leaving him defenseless.

"Oh no you don't!" Inuyasha yelled, jumping in to help his brother. Naraku turned to face him, his blood red eyes flaring with vengeance, as he dodged the young demon's fist. The brothers paired off in their opponents, battling for the life of a single human girl and for those already lost to death.

Sesshomaru glared at his younger brother, his eyes narrowed. "I shall be the one to defeat them. This is none of your concern." He ducked a kick from Kagome's father before swiping at the man once more.

"Keh," Inuyasha responded, slicing Naraku across the cheek. "You think I'm going to stand by and watch you fail? I don't think so!" The half-demon jumped backwards and retreated some, standing back to back with his brother. "How about we just get this over with, then I can kill you myself."

"I highly doubt that. You are too reckless and brash to have a chance at defeating me." They separated and rejoined their respectful enemies, each expertly avoiding certain death.

Kagome's father evaded another attack from Sesshomaru's claws and took a few steps back towards Kagome's body. "Hmm ... brothers fighting each other in the mist of battle. How foolish can one be?" He took a relaxed position, slipping his hand into his pockets once more.

Sesshomaru glared at him, ignoring the sounds of Inuyasha's battle behind him. "Half-breeds are not worthy of life. Do not insinuate that this Sesshomaru has any desire in preserving him. I have no wish to help him nor that human girl."

"Ah, but it is another that you are worried about," he responded with a smirk. "You see, even a cold hearted demon such as yourself can fall in love with a mere human. I found that I, too, could not resist the temptation."

A dangerous growl reverberated in Sesshomaru's throat. "Do not compare me with scum such as you." Without another word, the great demon lord pushed off from the ground and prepared to bring his enemy to his death.

Something metal glinted in the sunlight as Sesshomaru quickly narrowed his eyes and stopped his assault, expertly dodging as a loud bang sounded through the small house. Inuyasha and Naraku ceased their quarrel as they separated. "What the hell?" Inuyasha yelled, panting heavily as the blood continued to pool from his wound.

The ever knowing smirk that seemed to always occupy Naraku's features, fell from his lips. A groan of pain escaped his throat, grabbing the attention of both dog demons. He glanced down at his chest, noticing the red stain appear on his shirt, spreading through the fabric with each second that passed.

Sesshomaru glanced back at him from the corner of his eye before directing his attention to his enemy once more. "It seems you do not have the skill to handle a gun."

He merely smiled, watching his son fall to bended knee. Taking the opportunity, Inuyasha punched Naraku's cheek, hearing a resounding crunch as his head hit the wall, before Naraku slumped to the ground unconscious. Wiping a smear of blood from his lips, the half-demon turned around to glare at Kagome's father. "You shot your own son? How low can you be?" he snarled before the flames of hatred ignited in his eyes.

"Naraku was holding me back. He was unable to defeat a mere half-demon nor kill a few humans." He swiveled his eyes to the stairs, his ears picking up soft heartbeats from Kagome's room. "Why is it that when you want something done, you have to do it yourself?"

Inuyasha's eyes widened as he listened to the noises from upstairs. Two of Kagome's family members were still alive, however faint, but they were alive none the less. It didn't matter at the moment. The people he cared for were dying and there was little he could do about it. "You bastard," he growled dangerously, pushing the balls of his shoes into the floor, readying himself to attack.

"Don't be a fool," Sesshomaru warned, his eyes never leaving his enemy. "If you are not eager to meet your death, then I suggest you stay back."

The half-demon stared wide-eyed at his brother. _Is he ... protecting me? _There was no time to ponder it, however, as sirens echoed in the distance.

Kagome's father narrowed his eyes, his ears picking up the sound of police cars just north of the Higurashi shrine. "Hm, it appears we'll have to cut this short." He grinned menacingly, keeping his eyes trained on the two dog demons, before turning around and pointing the gun at Kagome's dying form. "Now, she shall die."

"Don't you dare!" Inuyasha yelled, no longer caring about his own life or what the outcome of his hasty decision might be. His thoughts only consisted of Kagome. "Go to hell!"

In only a few seconds time, the half-demon charged towards the assailant as a gunshot sounded, echoing off the walls and ceilings of the house. Inuyasha stopped his actions, his eyes widening at the noise. "It seems as if fate was not on my side," Kagome's father mumbled, lowering his weapon to his side before it fell from his grasp. A pool of blood began to form beneath him from the bullet that had lodged into his side. With a soft grunt and a smirk upon his lips, the dark man fell to his knees. His eyes glanced upward, as if to ask for forgiveness. Slowly, his body fell forward and splattered into the crimson puddle.

Silence seemed to enshroud the area except for Inuyasha's heavy breathing. His hands shook and his heart thundered in his chest. Slowly, his amber eyes peered to the right to see where the shot had originated from. "Miroku?" The name whispered off of Inuyasha's lips, relief flooding through every part of his body.

The dark-haired student gave a crooked smile and leaned against the wall for support. "Hey," he drawled, placing the gun at his side. It was apparent that he had snuck through the shattered window and found the gun Naraku had dropped when Inuyasha attacked him. "Need some help?"

Sesshomaru seemed to visibly relax ever so slightly, although there was no other indication that he had tired from the battle. Inuyasha sighed and fell to his knees to catch his breath. "Kagome," he mumbled softly, his vision wavering from blood loss. His entire body felt weak and useless. None the less, he found his hands crawling to where she lay, keeping his ears trained on her weak heartbeat and labored breathing.

His silver mane touched the blood surrounding her pale frame. He cupped his hand against her cheek, rubbing the pad of his thumb against her satin skin. "Kagome," he whispered again, hope lacing his tone. The girl made no sound and any attempt to see her eyes flutter open was lost.

Thump ... thump ... thump ...

Sounds around him muffled, his eyes solely focused on Kagome's heartbeat, the steady rhythm failing, stuttering every few moments. "Please," he begged, his voice breaking as he lowered his forehead to hers, feeling the cool sweat caressing her skin. "Don't leave me."

Thump ... th-thump ...

Inuyasha's hands shook as he felt her body, rubbing her skin in an attempt to warm it. Her fingers were ice, her skin pale, and her lips a sickening blue.

... Thump ...

Tears stung his eyes, clouding his vision. Voices could be heard in the background, dampened, almost mute, for his attention did not concentrate on the slur of words from Miroku's mouth. The echoes of the sirens came closer, footsteps pounded across the shrine ground, and he faintly heard the front door slam open and a hoard of people rushed in.

... Thu-mp ...

Arms grabbed him, trying to pull him away from the dying girl. His body was numb, he couldn't breathe, couldn't resist the tug on his shoulders.

... ...

A group of uniformed police officers pulled him away before returning to the girl. Two men sat beside her, an AED kit in their hands.

"No pulse," one said, placing his fingers to Kagome's throat.

"No heartbeat," the other stated, lowering his ear to her chest.

Inuyasha slumped against the wall. He watched one of the men place his hands against Kagome's chest, pushing down a few times before turning to breathe air into her lungs. Her head was tilted back and her mouth went slack.

"No pulse."

"Breathe, damn it!"

"Get the kit ready!" the man said, ripping open the girl's shirt, exposing her skin.

Inuyasha slid down to the floor, folding his knees. His amber spheres didn't dare leave Kagome's face. His hands, covered in her blood, rested at his sides. The faint sounds of struggle were heard as the officers took Naraku and Kagome's father into custody. A slur of curse words escaped their lips, but they fell on deaf ears.

"Charge," the second medic said, grasping the paddles in his hand. The cool metal was placed upon her flesh, sending electric waves to her heart.

Inuyasha watched as Kagome's body jerked upward as the electricity surged through her, before she fell to the floor once more.

The medic gave her CPR a second time. "No pulse. No heartbeat." He breathed air into her lungs. "Again!"

Kagome's body hitched forward once more, her blank eyes gazing at the ceiling above, her limbs tightening at the jolts. A tear slid down Inuyasha's cheek as he watched the one he loved being jerked again and again, failing to come back from death.

His vision blurred, the voices around him sounded as if coming through a long tunnel, and he desperately tried to keep conscious. He faintly recalled a police officer coming to his aid. "Are you alright?" he asked, shaking Inuyasha slightly. "This man needs medical attention," he called, signaling to a third medic.

Everything seemed to fade away: the medic, the police officers, the echoes of sirens, the voice of Miroku as he was questioned, the grunted sounds of his enemies as they were dragged away, the smell of death blanketing Kagome's body.

He wanted to forget.

He wanted to remember.

He just wanted to let go.

Inuyasha closed his eyes and gave into the darkness.

A/N: Well there you go. I'm thinking only a few chapters left. Sorry if anything was confusing in this chapter. It was a bit difficult to write, but I hope I did it some justice. Unfortunately for you guys, you have to wait until I come back from vacation for the next update. I know, I'm evil. But you're lucky I was able to get this out. Anyways, do you think this story will be able to make it to 200 reviews before its done? How about you give it a try and please review!


	19. White Rose for Death

To those I couldn't reply to:

ashley: Wow, thanks so much for the awesome review. Sorry I might have given you nightmares, but that was the effect I was trying to make. Thanks for the compliment and I'm glad you like it so much!

Jamie: Well, I guess I won't really have to worry about my review count anymore. lol. I'm sorry this chapter didn't come out as fast as I hoped. With graduation just around the corner, things have been very busy. Nevertheless, the next one will be faster. I hope. Thanks for the review.

MagnoliaKaki: Thank you very much for adding this story to your story alert list. I'm glad you like it so far.

**Through Blood and Tears**

**Chapter 19: White Rose for Death**

Wind danced across the cemetery, carrying flower petals in an ethereal dance. It swept across the grass and chilled the hearts of many. The breeze gently touched those who were in mourning as they each began to part their ways. A girl dressed in black stared down at the coffins, which were draped with an array of flowers. A red cloth was set upon the cherry oak wood as well as a picture of the person held within. They were the people she knew and loved. Their chests would never rise and their hearts would never beat again. She wiped away another tear as it slowly slid down her face. "And I promised myself I wasn't going to cry ... " she whispered, a sad smile touching her lips at the thought.

Her shoulders shook as she let out a heavy sigh, her throat thick with tears. She held out four white roses in her hands, one for each of her fallen classmates. Another soft breeze settled over the graves, lightly touching the ebony-haired beauty. Her brown eyes welled up with more tears as the memories of the last week invaded her thoughts.

After a moment, she was able to gather up her emotions and began to complete the deed. Taking a few steps forward, she set a rose upon the first coffin. Ginta's smiling face met her gaze, his eyes filled with joy. She hadn't even known him that well but she could remember his constant laughter and stupid jokes. Hakkaku had managed to get into the picture, slinging his arm around Ginta's shoulder in a brotherly fashion.

Wiping a tear from her chestnut eyes, she moved to the left towards the second coffin. The same sorrow erupted into her features as she faintly recalled the boy in the picture tutoring her over summer break. She had never been good at math, but he had done away with the unnecessary mumbo-jumbo and made things seem crystal clear. He didn't deserve to die. He wasn't even supposed to be in detention that day. "Goodbye, Hojo," the beauty said softly, gazing into the young man's shining eyes. She remembered how smart and handsome he had been, all the girls pining for his affection. A white rose was gently laid on his coffin as well.

The woman shifted her gaze over, coming to the third coffin. Even though she hadn't particularly liked the girl, she still felt a strong pain in her chest. A few more tears made their way down her cheeks as she laid a white rose next to Kagura's picture. Although a scowl adorned her lips, her crimson eyes flashed with the spirit of happiness. She had given her life in order to protect those who were her friends. The woman recalled the wind sorceress's constant foul mood, but behind it, she always detected that the source behind her evil ways was loneliness.

Her auburn eyes closed in remembrance as tears fell heavily from her crescent moon eyelashes. She took small, hesitant steps towards the fourth and final coffin, a single rose held in her hand. She allowed a moment to pass as thoughts of this last person filled her mind. Even though this brown-eyed girl could remember the hate that many felt towards this person, she also recalled the kindness she had seen. When all odds were against them, this one person was able to save another's life. She bit her lower lip to hold back her cries of anguish as she laid the final rose to rest.

The dark-haired girl stood up as she continued to mourn the death of her classmates. Muffled sobs erupted from her hands as they hid her face from view. Suddenly, a shadow cast over her small frame and she slowly turned around. Her eyes were met with the silver-haired man that was her heart's desire. "Come," he said, his voice softer then it had previously been.

The woman nodded in reply before she spoke. "Of course, Sesshomaru, let's go." He turned around and began to walk away. She caught up with him and slipped her hand in his, noticing how he did not pull out of her grasp. Rin took one last look over her shoulder at the last coffin, seeing Kikyo's beauty radiate from her picture, before she turned around and headed towards the stretch limo awaiting them.

* * *

Ayame watched her wolf-demon companion with a smile. Although her face showed signs of worry and her red hair had lost its usual bounce, her smile was genuine. Kouga had woken up a few hours earlier after days of fading between consciousness and she was happy to see he had an appetite.

"I never knew Ramen could be so good," he mumbled between mouth-fulls, all signs of injuries gone. "The half-breed did something right for once." He stuffed another fork-full of noodles into his mouth, noting how the red-headed girl continued to stare at him. He swallowed. "What you starin' at?"

The female wolf-demon giggled, her laugh light and serene. "Oh nothing," she replied with a sigh. "I'm just glad to see you're okay. You gave us quit a scare." Her emerald eyes sparkled as she laid a hand upon his arm.

All joking tone faded from Kouga's voice as he placed the half-empty bowl of Ramen on the side of his bed. He turned his icy blue eyes to her, taking her hands in his. "I'm fine," he assured, shifting his gaze to the sling around her arm. "How are you?"

She smiled and waved the comment aside. "I'm fine. Just a scrape."

He turned away from her, unable to look into the eyes of someone he cared for. Guilt was present in his heart for allowing Ayame to get hurt. "I'm sorry," he said quietly after a few moments of silence.

"It's not your fault," she replied, her voice soft and urgent. "You did what you could. Besides, you took most of the pain."

Kouga grinned slightly and glanced at her. "How's everyone else?"

Ayame's expression lost all eminence of happiness and she bit her lip to hold back her tears. "Well, um, Sango and Miroku are fine, along with Rin and Sesshomaru. They all escaped with a few bumps and bruises."

"What about Hakkaku?" He needed to know that his friend was alright. He felt responsible for Ginta's death and didn't think he could take on more guilt.

She tightened her hold on his hand. "He ... well, last time we heard, he had slipped into a coma."

Kouga visibly stiffened, his jaw clenched tightly. The news hit him hard. After all they did to help the young wolf demon, he ended up in a coma anyways. "So, there isn't any hope, is there?" he asked quietly, keeping his eyes locked with hers.

"The doctors say that his vital signs are normal. They believe he has a very high chance of living. But he needs someone to talk to him, a close friend perhaps?" She smiled at him, a glimmer of hope in her eyes.

Her companion's cocky grin returned. "Well, I guess I should go see him." He dropped her hands and moved to get out of bed when another thought crossed his mind. He whiped his head towards her, his eyes locked firmly with hers. "What about Kagome?"

She turned away from him and bit her lower lip. Luckily, she was saved from answering him as the door opened and an old woman with an eye patch walked in. She noticed Kouga's position, appearing as if he was going to take his leave. "Don't think ye can go walking around without getting my consent, boy," she spoke in a stern, yet kind manner.

Kouga didn't speak, rather his attention was focused solely on Ayame. "Tell me, what happened to Kagome," he demanded in a pleading tone.

The red-headed wolf demon shook her head. "I should let Dr. Kaede check you over." She rose to leave and walked to the door. "I'm sorry," she mumbled, squeezing her eyes shut and closing the door behind her.

* * *

"How long has he been like that?" Sango whispered to the man next to her, resting her head against his shoulder.

Miroku sighed. "Yash hasn't moved since he got here. Won't eat or sleep." The pair glanced over at their half-demon friend. He was in a plastic waiting chair in the next room with his eyes focused solely on the glass window before him. His foot tapped impatiently and his eyes were red from lack of sleep. They searched back and forth across the white walls of the hospital, unable to stay still for even a moment.

He hadn't left since the night he arrived. While the rest of the able victims attended the funeral earlier that day, Inuyasha had chosen to stay in the ICU, silently watching Kagome through the glass window. The soft beeps of the machines were his only companions as his ears flickered back and forth with irritation. After all, it had been three days since the night that claimed four people's lives and the count wasn't over yet.

The elevator doors slid open to reveal Rin and Sesshomaru as they stepped into the room, immediately taking notice of Sango and Miroku's worn faces, still dressed in their dreary funeral attire. Miroku flashed a sad smile as his classmates stepped over to where they sat. "How is she?" Rin asked, referring to Kagome's still form through the sealed door.

Sango shook her head. "Well, the doctors have stabilized her, but they're not sure what course her condition will take. She hasn't regained consciousness yet."

"I see," the young woman sighed dejectedly, her eyes losing hope and swinging towards the doors. "What about everyone else?"

"Ayame is with Kouga now," Miroku stated, placing his head against the wall behind him and closing his eyes. "We haven't heard anything on Hakkaku's condition or Kagome's family."

Rin nodded slowly and glanced at the man in the next room. "He blames himself, doesn't he?" she asked, not really expecting an answer. "Inuyasha thinks its his fault that Kagome got hurt."

The pair nodded solemnly. Sesshomaru merely grunted on the subject before taking a seat, watching Rin as she followed his lead, and the four classmates sat in silence. They were waiting for news from the doctors. But for now, no news was good news ... right?

Inuyasha ignored his friend's conversation, only concentrating on Kagome's heartbeat. He was over ridden with guilt, to say the least. The one woman he cared for had been killed, shot before his very eyes. After he blacked out, he remembered bits and pieces from the ride in the ambulance, shouts from the medics, and finally the pain as he recovered from surgery. Everything else was just a blur. He glanced down at his torso, noting the bandages wrapped underneath his tank top. The doctors said he was lucky. If it hadn't been for his demon blood, he would have been killed.

He wiped a hand down the front of his face to clear away the drowsiness. The effects of the pills he had to take did not help any, as they left him unfocused and tired. His friends, however, were probably in worse pain than he was. Although Kouga and Ayame were demons as well, their injuries weren't the easiest to heal. But Sango and Miroku were only human. Just a few broken ribs hurt like hell and took a while to heal.

The half-demon's eyes clouded over as he placed his head in his hands. He remembered clearly the events of Saturday night until the point where he blacked out. Miroku filled him in after that point, saying he had to go through excessive surgery and the police had the two suspects in custody. Since it was a priority case, they had their court date set for next month.

"I'm scared," he heard Sango whisper just beyond the ICU doors. "I can't lose her."

Miroku solemnly took her hand. "Everything is going to be alright, dear. Just have faith. She's a fighter."

She sighed and leaned against his shoulder. "I hope you're right ... "

Inuyasha growled low in his chest and clenched his fists. What if she didn't make it? How would he be able to live with himself? With a huff of breath, he hung his head and pressed his arms against his thighs. After he had awoken from the surgery, he was immediately interrogated. The officer's name was Hinten and he was in charge with handling the questioning. The half-demon had snapped and yelled, begging to see Kagome, but restraints pinned him to the bed.

He then learned of Hojo, Ginta, and Kagura's deaths. The rest of them had been emitted to the hospital, a few only held overnight for observation. Some, on the other hand, weren't so fortunate. The remaining victims had been emitted to the emergency room. Kikyo, however, was pronounced dead a few hours after her arrival. When he had learned this bit of information, a dull ache was left in his chest. Sure, she may have been quite a nuisance since their break-up, but he had loved her once. And his feelings for her never completely died.

When he was told of his classmate's fates, he refused to say anything else and was soon left alone to grieve. A swirl of emotions flowed through his body: guilt, pain, love, hurt, anger. How could he live with this?

"Inuyasha?" He snapped out of his thoughts at the sound of his name and glanced over to see Sango sitting beside him. He hadn't even heard her enter the room. "Are you alright? You've been growling for the past few minutes."

"Keh," he grunted, standing up. "I can't stand this anymore!" he yelled, his brows furrowed in annoyance and his eyes flashing red. "I want to know what the hell is going on with Kagome. They haven't told us anything and its been three fucking days!"

"Inuyasha," Miroku spoke calmly from where he stood near the door. "Do not let your anger delude rational thoughts. I'm sure Kaogme is fine, that is why they have yet to tell us anything."

"Why the fuck couldn't they tell us that then?" he demanded, glaring at his best friend.

The dark-haired man walked over and placed a comforting hand on the half-demon's shoulder. "You must understand, they have much to deal with. Kagome is not their only concern at the moment. I'm sure they will let us know something as soon as they can. You need to have patience."

Inuyasha growled low in his throat as he pushed Miroku's hand away. "I'm not waiting around for another damn minute," he finally replied. He turned around to storm through the hospital and find someone who knew something, but was stopped when the ICU doors opened.

A man in a white coat came out, instantly recognized to be a doctor. "Ahem," he stated, clearing his throat. "May I please speak with the visitors that were involved with the school incident?"

"What is going on with Kagome?" Inuyasha immediately yelled, grabbing the man by the collar of his shirt.

"Inuyasha," Sango warned, standing up to come beside her angered friend. "We are all worried about her. Now calm down so he can tell us what we would like to know."

Hesitating, the half-demon released his grip on the man, but his anger did not waver. "Please excuse my friend," Miroku apologized to the frightened doctor. "We are all very worried about our classmates. Shall we go somewhere more private to speak about this?"

The doctor cleared his throat again, ignoring the bead of sweat that slipped down his temple. "V-very well then," he stuttered, glancing down at the clipboard in his hand. Sango motioned for Rin and Sesshomaru to come over to hear what the doctor had to say.

"Is Hakkaku and Kagome okay?" Rin asked as she came up beside her classmates. Sango grasped her hand and gave it a comforting squeeze.

The man in the white lab coat eyed them a moment before gesturing down the hallway. "If you will, please follow me. I shall bring you to a woman who will answer all of your questions." The group did as they were told, concern plaguing their every thoughts.

A/N: I am very, very sorry for the long delay. I must warn you that graduation is just around the corner and college is coming up in the fall, so things have been busy around here. It leaves little time for writing. But I hope to finish this story up very soon. It only has about two or three chapters left so it should be done by the end of May. If you have any questions pertaining to this story (besides Naraku's relationship with the Higurashi family), this is the last time to ask. All will be answered in the last few chapters. Promise! Thanks for reading and let me know what you think.


	20. Misery, Pain, and Suffering

To those I couldn't reply to:

Jamie: Believe me, I completely understand the busy schedule. I've been trying to write this chapter forever. I was either thinking about it when I didn't have the time to write, or when I did have the time to write, inspiration left me. *Sigh* It does suck sometimes to be a victim of such things. Oh well, its done now, right? Thanks for the tip on Kagome's name. I suppose I just skip over her name with spell check because it always counts it wrong. I guess you can't catch every mistake. Hm ... yeah, I hope dragging out her fate didn't overdo it any. And guess what? Her entire fate won't be revealed in this chapter either, although it will hint at it. The next chapter, which is the epilogue, will let you know what really became of her. Glad you're liking it so far.

**Through Blood and Tears**

**Chapter 20: Misery, Pain, and Suffering**

It was like a dream.

Everything drifted away. Pain. Guilt. Heartache. Suffering.

Serenity washed over her, like a wave gently lapping against the shore.

Only one emotion became present in her heart.

Happiness.

It felt so long ago since she had felt this way. It was so strange, so foreign.

But as soon as it had touched her soul, it faded away, replaced by darkness.

_

* * *

_

Kagome blinked repeatedly, opening her eyes to a blinding white light completely surrounding her. Memories were fuzzy and thoughts seemed incoherent. Was she dreaming? Her eyes shifted about the room, trying to grasp a hold of something familiar, something she could connect with what had happened to her.

"Kagome," a man whispered. She felt a hand rub gently against her own in order to bring her comfort. "Wake up, Kagome."

Her eyes found a boy at her bedside. A strained smile was stretched across his lips and his deep pools of amber seemed shallow in her wake. "Inuyasha?" she mumbled, unsure as to why the half-demon looked so sad and concerned. "What ... happened?"

Inuyasha moved closer, trying not to strain her senses. "Don't you remember?" Kagome shook her head slightly in response, but immediately regretted it. Instinctively she brought a hand to her head, trying to soothe the ache erupting from it. "You lost a lot of blood," he continued, watching her actions.

Blood? Why would she have lost blood? Last thing she remembered was the fight in the school cafeteria. Had she been injured during it? Shifting slightly to get into a more comfortable position, she hissed in agony, causing her companion to flicker his eyes over her injured body. Her stomach felt as if it was being torn to shreds. She lifted the covers slightly to glance at the source of her discomfort. A bandage had been wrapped tightly around her abdomen, soaked with blood. No, the fight had nothing to do with her condition. These wounds she had were much worse than a simple punch or kick could do.

She tried to concentrate on the events following the fight, but it only produced more of a migraine and she found herself unable to press onward. "Tell me ... what happened," she mumbled breathlessly, still trying to recuperate from the pain.

Inuyasha shifted his eyes nervously. "I can't do that, Kagome. At least not yet. Not until you're better." His tone gave no room for argument.

But Kagome didn't care whether or not he wanted to tell her. She was injured, practically dead, and she would be damned if someone didn't tell her what was going on. She grasped the half-demon's hand firmly in her own. "Tell me what happened," she spoke sternly.

The half-demon sighed beside her. "Kagome, you're in the hospital." He paused a moment, allowing the information to sink in.

Well, knowing she was in the hospital was obvious. The starch white walls and uncomfortable bedding was evidence of that. Kagome didn't need to know where she was, she wanted to know what had happened. A memory flashed through her vision: The dark corners of a cellar, the walls covered in blood, her teacher torn to pieces in the middle of the room, and Inuyasha's amber eyes offering comfort.

And then, all at once, it hit her.

Detention. Her friends. Her family. Naraku. Her father. All of it came flooding back, causing her eyes to widen with fear and her head to throb in pain. A strangled cry came from her throat as tears overflowed her lids, streaming down her cheeks to drop soundlessly off her chin. "No," she whispered, realization crossing her visage. "Its not right! This can't have happened!" She turned to the man at her bedside. "Tell me, Inuyasha," she choked out, grasping his hand tighter. "Tell me it was all just a horrible nightmare."

He shook his head, his heart clenching at the sight of his beloved crying out her anguish. "I can't lie to you," he mumbled. "I'm so sorry, Kagome. Oh kami, I'm sorry." He wrapped his arms around the injured girl and brought her into an embrace, making sure to steer clear of Kagome's wounded stomach. "I thought I had lost you," he whispered aloud, his ears plagued with her choked cries.

They sat side by side in the blinding white hospital room, the stench of medicine hanging in the air. With Kagome securely in his arms, Inuyasha allowed the girl to cry into his chest, soaking his shirt with tears. He began to stroke her midnight tresses, willing himself not to cry. The fear of losing her still hung in the air. Kagome had died. She was dead. And then modern medicine was able to pull her from the darkness and bring her back to him.

She was so pure, so innocent. She always looked for the best in people, always put others before herself. So why did she have to be put through so much terror and agony? To realize that her father, the only man she had trusted during her childhood, was to come to her like that, kill her loved ones, make her feel like dirt, and then try to take her life ... Inuyasha couldn't imagine the burden of loss Kagome had on her shoulders.

So they sat there, each feeling the pain of death, each suffering from the guilt, and both wishing it had never happened.

* * *

It was quiet as the afternoon sunlight streamed softly through the windows. Muffled footsteps drifted through the closed door, accompanying the soft turn of a page. Rin sat in a wooden chair beside a patient's bed, reading yet another article about the school incident. It seemed as though the press refused to stop mentioning it. However, she wasn't sure if it was the publicity the newspaper companies pined for, or if it was their desire to cause heartache to those that were involved. They continued to describe every minute detail as if they had seen it through their own eyes, had witnessed the fear and heart-pounding terror each time a fellow classmate was found dead or injured.

She was disgusted.

Although Rin was always optimistic about everything, knowing lives were threatened caused all promising light to wane. She was sure the remaining survivors would be okay, at least physically. However, for the past week, she had found herself waking up in a cold sweat, her breaths labored, as she endured another nightmare. It had only been a few days, but she could no longer bear the agonizing horror. Tomorrow she would meet with a psychiatrist.

The woman in the bed stirred slightly, her brow furrowed as slumber was pried from her mind. "Oh, Ms. Higurashi," Rin exclaimed with a smile, setting down the newspaper on the couch by the window. "I'm glad to see you're finally awake. You've been unconscious for quite some time."

Her brown eyes, still fogged over with sleep, glanced around the room in a daze. They settled on the young woman's face and blinked repeatedly, trying to register the girl in her mind. "Rin?" she asked hesitantly, her voice hoarse from lack of water.

"Let me help you." Rin stood and helped the older woman to readjust her pillows and sit up into a more pleasant position. Satisfied that Ms. Higurashi was comfortable, she walked over to a nearby table and poured some ice cold water into a paper cup. "Here, drink this," she stated softly, placing the cup into her hands.

Kagome's mother smiled appreciatively before downing the refreshment in a single gulp. "Thank you," she mumbled.

"It's no problem at all." The small woman took the cup from her hands and sat down once more.

She peered about the room a few moments as Rin watched carefully. It was the first time Ms. Higurashi had regained consciousness since Saturday night and, although she should fetch a doctor, the teenager refused to allow this opportune moment to pass. "Am I in the hospital, Rin?" the woman asked softly, noting the white walls and smell of medicine.

"Yes, you are," Rin confirmed, her smile seeming to strain. "I'm not sure if you remember-"

The patient turned to look at her. "The house," she mumbled, almost incoherently. "A boy was there. Naraku. He ... he had a knife." It was all the woman could say before she pressed a hand to her forehead and closed her eyes to block out the painful memories.

"Ms. Higurashi," the young girl began, placing a comforting hand upon her arm. "I know you've just woken up, but I need to ask you something."

Kagome's mother opened her eyes, looking rather tired after sleeping for so long, and rested her head against the pillows. "Of course, dear," she replied, although she desperately wanted to know the fate of her father and son. They had all been attacked that night and she had given herself to the darkness with Souta wrapped in her arms. And what of her daughter? Surely she had known something was wrong when no one appeared home. Why was Rin here, of all people, and not Kagome?

Rin breathed a sigh of relief. "I apologize for being so upfront about all of this, but we need to know," she said softly, pausing a second to see her reaction. When the woman only stared, she continued. "Ms. Higurashi, what was your relationship with Naraku and that demon?"

In all of her years of knowing the kind hearted woman, Rin had always seen Kagome's mother as a cheerful and down to earth person. Never had she seen her eyes darken and her lips purss at the mention of her husband and a fellow student. "I suppose my daughter would have found out eventually," she replied quietly, her gaze moving to the opposite side of the room, focusing on the pale walls. She took a deep breath before continuing.

"My husband and I had met long ago, before Kagome was born. It was at a business meeting for the corporation I worked for as an intern at the time. I knew he was a demon from the very start, but he was charming and sweet. I was young and naive then. It was no wonder I fell for his tricks." A breath shuddered from her lips, followed by a stream of coughs. Rin quickly filled the paper cup with more water and handed it to her, receiving a small thank you in return.

After she had downed the ice cold liquid and her coughing had ceased, Ms. Higurashi continued. "It wasn't long after that we married, but even then I felt as if something was missing from my life." A smile spread across her lips as her eyes lit up. "And then I met Ryo Nakamura. Oh, he was such a lovely man."

Rin grinned at the love sparked in Ms. Higurashi's gaze. "Where did you meet him?" she asked eagerly, always a sucker for a romance story. "Did you love him?"

She nodded. "I was out shopping for some things to spruce up the house we had just bought and I couldn't decide on a paint color. He was looking as well and we just sort of started talking. It was much later that I realized we had been standing there for nearly an hour." The woman closed her eyes in remembrance as Rin aided her in readjusting her pillows so she was laying down, staring up at the ceiling. "We met quite often after that, mostly when my husband was at work. And then one weekend, Mr. Higurashi was on a business trip and Ryo came over. He took his leave before the sun rose over the horizon, but he left me with a very special gift. Nine months later, Kagome was born."

The teenager's eyes widened in shock. "I understand now. That explains why he said they weren't related and she isn't a half-demon like Inuyasha. Ms. Higurashi, what happened to Kagome's father?"

A sigh escaped her lips. "After she was conceived, Ryo disappeared. I didn't know where he went or why, but I later learned that he had been drafted into the army. It was dangerous for him to send letters to me in the risk of my husband finding out, so we had no contact with each other for years. It was only after he served his time that he came back to visit me and my daughter."

"Such a romantic story," Rin commented, placing her chin in her hands. "Let me guess, when he came back, you conceived Souta?"

Ms. Higurashi chuckled. "Yes, Rin," she stated with a yawn. "He is Souta's father as well."

The young girl shook her head slightly and sat up straight. "I'm confused," she admitted. "If you loved this man so much, why didn't you divorce and remarry? And where is he now?"

A smile fell from her lips. "Oh dear, I had every intention of doing just that. But only a few months after he returned, he was involved in a car accident and died instantly. I never told my husband why I was so depressed the days following a stranger's death or why I seemed so detached from him." Her eye lids drooped as sleep once more dragged her into its depths. It was quite tiring to speak of her past after undergoing such a life-threatening situation. "I wanted to leave my husband, but there would be no possible way for me to care for both Souta and Kagome on my own. So I stayed, and as the years passed, he learned of my affair and was absolutely furious."

She sighed, wondering how Ms. Higurashi had kept a secret for so long and continue to live with a man she didn't care for. Perhaps it was the love for her children that kept her rising each morning. "How does Naraku fit into all of this?" she asked, knowing she was pushing her limits.

"He was my husband's son from his first marriage. Although most don't know it, Naraku is a venomous half-demon who lived only to commit vile acts towards others. It is why I never truly loved him like a son. Although he was a few years older than Kagome, it wasn't until after Souta was born that he moved in. Of course, with such a horrid outlook on life, he had to be held back repeatedly through school. If I guess correctly, he is already nineteen. But he was rarely around. That's probably why Kagome doesn't remember him."

Rin nodded in understanding. She knew the rest of the story, as Sango had mentioned it to her earlier. "I see," she mumbled, the explanation clearing up any questions she might have had.

Ms. Higurashi looked at her through tired eyes. "Rin, now that I have told you of Kagome's father, would you do me a favor?"

"Anything," she promised with a smile.

"Can you tell me what happened to my family?"

* * *

Sango glanced at the man across from her, sipping her tea gingerly. It had been almost an hour since they found out Kagome had regained consciousness and they hadn't heard from Inuyasha since. "Do you think she's alright?" she asked, her eyes peering down the hallway which led to their friend's room.

He watched her place her cup down before taking one of her hands in his. "My dearest Sango," Miroku began, a smile on his face. "Kagome is one of the strongest people I know. Physically, she'll be just fine."

"What do you mean?" the brunette asked, swiveling her eyes to his in confusion. She paid no heed to their entwined fingers, focused only on her best friend's health.

The lecher sighed. His expression darkened and his smile vanished. "Her wounds will heal, perhaps only leaving a few scars. My concern is her mentality."

"Her mentality?" Sango echoed, a bewildered look overtaking her facial features. "What do you mean? She's going to go insane?"

He cocked his head to the side, shrugging his shoulders slightly. "Its a possibility. She watched as her father killed her classmates. And if my guess is correct, she believes its all her fault."

She shook her head. "That's silly. Kagome wouldn't feel guilty over something she had no control over."

"Wouldn't she, though?" Miroku retaliated. "Mr. Higurashi was after _her_. If she hadn't been in detention that day, perhaps her house would have been attacked and only her family harmed. Which is what her father and Naraku wanted in the first place."

"So, you're saying she'll blame herself for the deaths of our classmates because of her father's actions?" He nodded in agreement. "But it isn't her fault!" Sango released his hand and stood up from the table, her eyes blazing. "You can't honestly believe she would subject herself to such nonsense!"

Miroku stood quietly and rounded the table so he was standing beside her, slipping his hands into his jean pockets. "It does not matter what we may say to her. Our words of encouragement and denial will only strengthen her beliefs. She could possibly think that we are only trying to cover up her faults, to shield her from the awful truth."

"But she knows we would never lie to her!" she argued, trying to grasp onto something that would keep Kagome's sanity intact. "We're her friends. If she did something wrong, we'd be the first to tell her." Her vision blurred with tears as they began to slowly spill down her cheeks.

He silently wrapped his arms around her in an embrace, cradling her against his chest to offer comfort. He sighed. "I'm not saying that she will lose her sanity. I'm only trying to look at the possible outcomes that may be just over the horizon."

"But ... but ... " she stuttered, choking on her tears and unable to form a complete sentence. "S-she c-can't do that! Kagome i-is my f-friend. I c-can't lose h-her!" Without another word, Sango's knees buckled beneath her as her cries echoed through the hospital's cafeteria, causing mournful gazes to turn their way. Miroku sat on the tiled floor and held his girlfriend to his chest, his eyes fogged over with unshed tears. There was little hope that Kagome would make it through this. But he wouldn't dare allow her to give up without a fight. As long as he was breathing, along with the rest of her friends, they would not let her slip through their fingers.

* * *

The monitors beeped quietly, almost echoing in the small room. A small boy lay in a hospital bed, his eyes closed in sleep. His facial expression spoke of peace and serenity, but beneath that false facade lay a dark truth. Labored breaths came from his lips, slow and hesitant. The air stilled around him. If it weren't for the life-support machines, he would have drowned in silence.

Kagome sat next to him, tears burning the back of her eyes as she gazed at Souta's face. Her hand was entwined with his, rubbing soothing circles in order to bring him some sort of reassurance. It had been several days since she had woken from her unconscious state and a few hours earlier, Dr. Kaede had allowed her to roam around the hospital in order to visit her friends and family. She had exchanged words with her mother just moments ago, speaking of the reason why her father had wanted revenge on them. It hadn't been easy.

"Hey Souta," she spoke softly now, smiling slightly at her younger brother's face. "It's me, Kagome." She wanted him to know she was here, that he needed to come back to her. Dr. Kaede has said that speaking to a comatose patient sometimes helped them recover faster. "I know you want to sleep, but you have to wake up, okay?" she pleaded, her voice thick with tears. "You have to come back to me and mama."

She couldn't bring herself to mention her grandfather's death to the young boy. He needed to listen to hopeful words, not ones that would cause him to stay locked within his mind forever. It was hard to accept the deaths of him and her classmates, but knowing that Souta, her mother, and Hakkaku still had a fighting chance kept her mind busy with hope instead of despair. She needed the distraction.

"You know, last month, I spoke to your school's soccer coach. I persuaded him to let you on the team next year. Me and mama were going to surprise you." She got no response, not even a twitch of his fingers. "And she had you all signed up for camp this summer, too. You want to go see all your friends again, don't you?"

The young woman ran a hand through his hair, stroking it in a gentle manner. "Inuyasha is waiting for you to wake up. He misses someone looking up to him as a hero. He just doesn't want to admit it." She smiled at her spoken thought, bringing her hand to her brother's cheek and cupping it softly.

"Please wake up," she began to beg, a frown marring her lips and tears spilling over her flushed cheeks. "Please, Souta. I need you to wake up." When there was no response, she returned her hand to the bedside and rested her head on the matress. "I'm so sorry," she whispered, her voice muffled by the sheets. "Its all my fault. You got hurt, mama and gramps. Everyone was hurt and its all my fault."

She wept quietly in the hospital room as the machines continued their rhymatic pace, keeping tabs on her brother's heartbeat. His breathing continued slowly, but he never moved or made a sound. He was so far gone into the depths of his mind that she was afraid she wouldn't be able to reach him. "Its all my fault, Souta," she repeated, not caring that the door had opened and Inuyasha had stepped into the room. "Kami, its all my fault."

A/N: Phew! Sorry again for the late update, but for some reason this chapter was giving me some trouble. You can see that its kind of on the long side. That will make up for my lack in updating, won't it? Anyways, I've got the epilogue planned out so it should be up within the next few days. Thanks for sticking by this story so far. Its much appreciated and please review!


	21. Beautiful Day

To those I couldn't reply to:

Jamie: That is a bit surprising that you were actually excited about it. Oh well, perhaps it was because it gave something for you to look forward to. And no, sorry, I don't think I'll be able to bring Gramps back. I have to agree that I rather enjoy his character, but I had to kill off someone in Kagome's family. Taking away her mother or brother would be absolutely heart-wrenching and the old man doesn't seem to be one that would be able to survive something this horrid. But I'm happy to learn you understand my reasoning for making Souta have such a condition. It wouldn't exactly be realistic if everyone walked away with only the memories. Some injuries need to be involved too. Anyways, I really appreciate your comments and support of this story. Thank you very much!

**Through Blood and Tears**

**Chapter 21: Beautiful Day**

The weather man had predicted that the day was going to be overcast with brewing rainstorms. Clouds were supposed to cover the sky and the wind would chill one to the bone. But not everything in life goes according to plan.

Instead of the scent of oncoming rain, the graduating students of Shikon High received clear blue skies and the sun shined brightly down upon the ceremony. However, they were still thankful that the school had set the time before noon, giving them a chance to celebrate for the remainder of the day.

Inuyasha pulled into the almost full parking lot, quickly cutting the engine and stepping out of the car. He stuffed the keys into the pocket of his dress pants and tucked his hat into the crook of his arm, closing the door behind him. He turned around and scanned the students who began making their way to the soccer field, red and white gowns adorning them. He glanced down at his attire, thankful the boys weren't subjected to wearing white. After all, the graduation gowns were rather see through, and trying to find light colored slacks was a bother.

He smirked and began trudging towards the field. "Hey, Yash," someone called to him. He turned around to be met with Miroku's lecherous smile and Sango's annoyed expression. The half-demon chuckled softly and waited for his friends to catch up. "Can you believe we're finally graduating?" his best friend said, his eyes wandering over the brick building. He sighed. "The ladies sure are going to miss me."

That earned him a slap over the head, courtesy of Sango. He smiled sheepishly and let a moment pass for the girl's anger to simmer down. "I for one," she spoke, as if he hadn't said anything perverted at all. "Am sad that we're leaving. Once we throw our caps up in the air, it'll be time to face the big, bad world. I don't think I'm ready for it." Her eyes glazed over with tears and she quickly swiped at them to prevent ruining her make-up. "Oh gosh, now I'm going to cry!"

Miroku put an arm around her waist and pulled her towards him. "My dear Sango, there is nothing to be sad about. Think of it this way. Life outside of high school is a whole new adventure. Who knows what we'll face?"

"That's what I'm worried about," she replied, crossing her arms and looking away. "We've been here for the last four years and now suddenly were just thrust out into the middle of nowhere with no one to guide us. Its kind of scary."

"As long as I'm here," her boyfriend whispered into her ear. "You'll have nothing to be afraid of." She blushed at his comment, but did not object when he placed a kiss upon her temple.

Inuyasha watched the exchange with amusement, although a hollow ache had burrowed itself in his chest. Sure, they had some fun inside these walls, along with their fellow classmates, but nothing could erase the horrible incident during the Spring semester of their junior year. The images were still fresh in his mind.

Suddenly, he felt something hit his back and he whipped around with an irritated glimmer in his eyes, only to see Kouga standing there. "Kouga," he growled, ready to pounce on him.

The wolf demon only laughed. "Cool it man," he said, strolling up to the group and picking up the abandoned soccer ball. "Just playin'."

He visibly relaxed. Although the boys had come to terms with each other, an underlying layer of rivalry still existed between them. "Yeah, sure," he mumbled, trying to stuff his hands into his pockets. He finally gave up when he realized the gown wouldn't allow him to do it.

The foursome walked up to the area, their eyes glancing at the setup the school had assembled. A small stage had been constructed at one end of the field, accompanied by a podium and a few folding chairs. The stadiums bordering each side were reserved for family members and friends, already beginning to fill with excited, yet tearful faces. Rows and rows of white folding chairs were lined across the field, waiting patiently for students to occupy their designated seats. They still had ten minutes before the ceremony would begin.

A shrill scream rang through the grassy area, causing heads to turn in the direction it came from. Ayame ran towards their small group, her red hair trailing behind her, free of its usual pigtails. As soon as she came within arms reach, she enveloped Sango into a hug, who seemed rather surprised by the girl's sudden display of affection. "Woah, whats gotten into you?" she asked as her friend released her.

Ayame smiled brightly and stuck her hand out. Everyone except for Kouga huddled around to see what was so interesting. An engagement ring was bound around her finger, a large diamond glittering in the center of it. "Uh, whats with the rock?" Inuyasha asked.

The brunette smiled and laughed out of pure glee, embracing Ayame once more. "Yash, you idiot! Its an engagement ring!"

He looked dumbly at them. "From who?"

Something hit him over the head and he yelped, instantly turning around to see who had struck him while rubbing the painful lump. Kouga stood with his fist clenched, his blue eyes glaring menacingly at the half-demon. "Its from me, you dumb-ass!"

"Congratulations," Miroku offered, taking Ayame's hand and placing a gentle kiss upon it, paying no heed to the wolf demon and Sango's glares. He smiled before turning his gaze on the husband-to-be. "I thought you were going to wait until after graduation?"

He shrugged. "When the right moment comes, you've gotta take it."

"Whats everyone staring at?" Rin asked, pushing her way through the crowd.

Sango stepped aside to let the girl through. "Ayame and Kouga are engaged."

"Really?" she announced, a wide grin spreading across her lips. Everyone took a step back at the glimmer in her eyes. "Oh, I'm so happy for you!" She threw her arms around the couple. For a small girl, she packed quite a lot of strength, which even Kouga had to struggle under.

She released them after a few breathless complaints and clasped her hands in front of her chest. "So whens the wedding? Am I invited? Do I get to be a bridesmaid? Where's it going to be held? What about the honey moon? Oh and the flowers! You have to have plenty of flowers!"

Inuyasha stole this chance to walk away, leaving the girls and his best friends idling over pre-wedding ideas. He was happy for them, there was no doubt about it. But he couldn't help but feel jealous. Wedding plans seemed so far away in his future. That is, if he ever had the opportunity to propose. Now just wasn't the time.

"If everyone would please take their seats, we would like to begin the ceremony," a voice rang out through the podium speaker. Inuyasha glanced up to see Principal Katsu standing proud and tall on stage, watching as the stands and seats filled.

A few minutes passed as things were situated before the principal spoke up once more. "I want to thank you all for coming. It is a great honor to be here, watching as another class from Shikon High make their way up to the stage and are presented with their diplomas. I have been a principal at this school for many years and never have I had a class such as this one. They've been unique to say the least." Polite chuckles rang throughout the stadium.

"But joking aside, I feel sadden by the departure of this particular group. I was present during their school hours as they slowly changed from freshman to seniors in the four short years they thrived here." Inuyasha smirked at the comment. Thrived? Where did these teachers get their speeches from? Come on! Sure there were a few braniacs in the large population that counted as his graduating class, but most of the kids were complete idiots. "I am proud to admit that they received their education from this school and our amazing staff of teachers and counselors." A frown replaced his smile. "However, there was a time of darkness among our halls."

"Here is comes," Sango mumbled beneath her breath, sweeping her gaze over her fellow students and making eye contact with Miroku and Rin. When she glanced over at Inuyasha, his eyes were glazed and stared straight ahead, refusing to look at her. She sighed and turned forward once more.

Principal Katsu cleared his throat. "Last year, a horrible incident occurred here at Shikon High. A group of students endured a terror-filled night, which resulted in the loss of lives and memories that the victims are surely never to forget. I'd like to initiate a moment of silence to remember those lost."

The entire stadium was quiet. Not even a bird chirped overhead and the wind seemed to have stilled. The silence dragged on, much longer than Inuyasha anticipated, and he was growing quite angry. Who were they to give a moment so the memories of that night could come flooding back? As if he had forgotten. He was just about to jump out of his chair and storm to his car, when the principal broke the stillness.

"Sango Tajiya has offered to speak for those who are unable to and help us remember our fellow students." He stepped aside and the brunette stood up. Inuyasha eyed her. She hadn't told him about a speech she was supposed to make, but taking note of the solemn expression Miroku threw at him, he knew why.

She stepped up onto the stage and cleared her throat, taking her place behind the podium. "Welcome," she began, nervously shuffling the papers before her. "Today we come to celebrate the graduating students of Shikon High. Throughout the four years we have called this place our second home, we have struggled through the academic trials and drama alike. And sometimes I found myself doubting if I would be here, if I had the knowledge and the will to walk away from here, diploma in hand."

Sango scanned the crowd, catching the eyes of her classmates. "I am fortunate to be standing here today. However, there are a few of our classmates, that we all knew and loved, who will not be able to walk across this stage." She took a deep breath and gripped the side of the podium for support. "Fifteen months ago a group of us were sentenced to a Saturday detention, one that ended up being held at night due to certain circumstances.

"It had been an ordinary day and had proceeded into the evening with no unnatural occurrence. That is, until we realized that the school walls were no longer safe for us. That night, four lives had been claimed from this graduating class. Each of these bright students were unique in their own way. Kikyo Narita, Kagura Yoshida, Ginta Wantanabe, and Hojo Akitoki. Ms. Kimiko lost her life as well. She was an amazing teacher and friend to those who knew her. Although they aren't able to stand up here today or sit amongst our class, they are up in the skies, watching the ceremony and smiling down upon us. Forever they will be missed and never forgotten." Tears dotted her eyes now as her voice cracked between words. The brunette smiled and stepped down from the podium, hardly listening to the soft applause that followed.

Miroku glanced around with a solemn look, noting that there wasn't a dry eye within his viewing range. Everyone had tears sliding down their cheeks, girls and boys alike. Principal Katsu took his place by the mic once more as Sango proceeded to her seat."Thank you," he mumbled. He cleared his throat to lighten the mood. "Now I would like to begin addressing the students as they walk up and receive their diploma, stating that they have completed their education from Shikon High." Another teacher stood beside him, a roll of certificates in her hands, each tied neatly with a red or white ribbon.

"Aburami, Ai." A fellow student made her way to the stage, a smile on her face. "Adachi, Haru. Aikawa, Gin. Akabori, Chizu ... " As he continued to list off student's names and they each came up to receive their diplomas, those involved with the Saturday detention incident sat stone still, each mulling over the memories of that fateful night. Here they were at their high school graduation, a happy celebration that was to mark the rest of their life, and they couldn't think of anything but those lost.

"Higurashi, Kagome." Inuyasha perked up his ears at the sound of her name. His amber eyes watched as a hush fell over the crowd and a young boy made his way onto the stage, a strained smile stretched upon his lips. Souta thanked the man for his sister's diploma before retreating to the other side of the stage to be enveloped by his mother's hug. The half-demon smiled sadly. At least over the fifteen months since the incident, the kid had been pulled out of a coma by his sister's words of encouragement. Although, he couldn't say the same for Kagome. It was a bittersweet moment.

"Houshi, Miroku," the principal continued, handing him his diploma. The lecher turned to the class and gave a huge smile, waving at the girls in the front row. Sango felt anger bubble within her, but it immediately dispersed as he blew her a kiss. She blushed under the attention. "Hyuga, Botan."

The crowd watched as each student made their way to the stage and received their diplomas. "Iris, Ayame ... Ookami, Kouga ... Saitou, Rin ... Tajiya, Sango ..." Inuyasha stood as his row made their way up the side aisle to the steps leading to the stage. On the way, he caught the gazes of his friends and smirked half-heartily. "Takahashi, Inuyasha." He stepped onto the stage and shook the Principal's hand before taking that neatly tied bundle. He switched his tassel to the correct side as he stepped down and made his way back to his seat, listening as the rest of his classmates became high school graduates.

"Yamaguchi, Hakkaku." Thankfully a ramp had been installed, allowing a young man in a wheelchair to roll himself up and accept his diploma. The wolf demon turned to his fellow students and smiled, although it never quite reached his eyes anymore. After he had woken up from a coma only six months prior, he found that his legs were no longer of any use. He would never be able to walk again, even with therapy, but he was alive. And for that reason alone he was forever grateful to Kikyo and his classmates.

After the final student took their seat, Principal Katsu beamed brightly at the new graduates. "There is nothing else that we, the staff of Shikon High, can teach you. We wish you good luck in whatever your future holds. Congratulations class of 2009. You've made it."

As his final words echoed through the microphone, the students stood up and threw their caps into the air, smiles adorning their faces as they wrapped each other in hugs and cried happy tears. Inuyasha watched as his cap flew through the sky before being lost among the million others. He turned around, his gaze landing upon his friends as they found one another. Ayame and Kouga clung to each other as Miroku enveloped Sango in a kiss. Rin managed to find Sesshomaru (he graduated the previous year) amongst the crowd and ran to meet him, who had come more for Rin's sake than his brother's.

But the half-demon did not partake in the celebrations. Instead, he quietly slipped away from the group and shuffled over to the parking lot, got into his car, and drove away without so much as a backwards glance.

* * *

The hallways were so familiar. Their white walls seemed to mock him and the stench of medicine was no more than a faded scent. Now that he had been here so often in the last fifteen months, he felt as if he knew the hospital more than his own home.

Inuyasha walked passed the waiting room, trying hard to ignore the weeping and distressed visitors who were waiting to hear news of their loved ones. That had been him at one point. He hadn't wanted anything to do with anyone unless it concerned Kagome's condition. So leaving the families and friends to their own devices appeared to be the best thing.

He waited by the elevator and pushed the down button, watching as it slowly crept to his level. He had taken off his graduation attire in the car and was now dressed in a white button down shirt and a pair of black slacks, complimented by black shoes. His hands were stuffed into his pockets and he kept his amber eyes staring at the closed elevator doors, determined not to look around.

There was so much sickness and death here, he could barely stand it. After all, his mother had died in a hospital years ago. His heart clenched at the thought. It was a strange realization. Two women that he both loved and deeply cared for ended up in the same place anyways. The only difference was their reasons for being here.

Finally, after waiting what seemed like an hour, a bell sounded and the doors slid open to reveal an empty car inside. He quickly stepped in and hit his desired floor, waiting for the lurch in his stomach as the car was propelled upwards. A breath of relief escaped his lips. He needed his solitude before venturing onto the next floor. It made him uneasy.

The half-demon waited impatiently as the rise of the elevator caused him to swallow down the nausea forming. He shook his head. Why the hell was he so nervous? Then again, he was nervous every time he visited. Long slow breaths filled his lungs, trying to calm the butterflies in his stomach. "Damn hospital," he mumbled under his breath.

A bell sounded once more as the doors slid open to reveal his destination. A large sign that hung overhead indicated what was offered on the fifth floor. Social and Behavioral Services. He cringed and looked away. There was no need to remind him of what he already knew.

With an inaudible growl, he trudged down the hall towards the patients' rooms, searching for the one that housed his beloved. He stopped before room 507 and peered through the glass window. "Inuyasha," an old woman called.

Startled, he whipped his head away from the door and turned to face who called him. Dr. Kaede stared at him, a smile absent from her lips. "You still alive, old hag?" he asked with a scowl, crossing his arms.

She sighed at his childish antics. "Aye. These old bones still have some life in them."

"Keh," he scoffed, not at all interested in her health. Someone else was on his mind at the moment. "How is she?" His voice was soft, almost pleading. His eyes had turned dull and his scowl wasn't as prominent.

The doctor shook her head. "There hasn't been much improvement over the past twenty-four hours. She rarely eats or sleeps. Much of the day she spends looking out the window and mumbling to herself."

Inuyasha's frown deepened. "Damn it!" he cursed, uncrossing his arms and clenching his hands into fists. "Why the hell isn't she gettin' any better?"

"I'm not sure," Dr. Kaede responded truthfully. "But I must warn ye, Inuyasha. There may come a time when she shall never get better. Perhaps there is nothing left that can be done."

Before the old woman could finish her sentence, a pair of amber eyes were glaring at her. "Don't say that! She's going to be fine."

"Its been fifteen months since the incident, Inuyasha," she persuaded. "Little progress has been made. If things don't improve within a month's time then I'm afraid we'll have to send her to an institute in which to live."

It wasn't in his nature to hit a woman, especially Dr. Kaede, but the half-demon wasn't in his right mind. If she had said one more negative thought about Kagome's condition, he would have had to do something to release his pent up fury. "If you think she'll never get better," he said, facing the door once more. "Than you don't know nothin'." Without another word, he entered the room and closed the door behind him.

A woman sat in a chair facing a large window. Sun streamed through the glass and glistened across her abnormally pale skin. She was extremely gaunt, evidence of the little food she ate. An IV had been jammed into her arm to give her enough substance to live off of, but without solid foods, it was doing little to help.

"Kagome," Inuyasha whispered, smiling slightly. He ventured over to where she sat and knelt down beside her, placing a hand on her arm. The dark-haired woman didn't shy away from his touch nor did she invite it. "Its me, Inuyasha."

She was silent. It was the same routine every day. He would announce his presence and talk to her, but never had he heard her speak to him since the day she had sat at her comatose brother's bedside, weeping her heart out. His heart clenched at the thought. "I went to the ceremony today. Souta went up and got your diploma for ya. He's real proud of you and everyone missed you." He rubbed soothing circles with the pad of his thumb across her skin, but it did little to bring her attention to him.

With a defeated sigh, he continued rambling. "Kouga and Ayame are engaged now. They don't have a wedding date set, but they would be thrilled if you could be there." He glanced up at her. "Don't you think you should get better in time, Kagome?"

He eyed the clock wearily. It had already been an hour since he left the school and he was feeling restless. It angered him to no ends that the woman he loved was subjected to such a fate. Her father and Naraku were lucky they had life sentences, otherwise he would have tracked them down and beat them to death.

Shaking his head, he stood. Perhaps he would come back later. Deep in his heart he knew that was unlikely. Each day he spent at her bedside caused his hope to diminish ever so slightly. He hated this. There was no doubt in his mind that he wanted to spend the rest of his life with her, but he also wanted to be happy. In the end, if she were never to become the energetic and bubbly girl he had befriended all those years ago, would he be able to move on and leave her behind?

No. How could he even think such things? He clenched his hands into fists and glared at the floor. His eyes swept over Kagome's frail form and all fury immediately dispersed. "Please, come back to me," he pleaded quietly, just enough so her ears could hear him. His placed a hand on her shoulder and bent down, pressing a tender kiss to the top of her head. "I need you with me, Kagome. I love you."

The girl didn't even stir at his confession. Never had he spoken those words aloud, although they had burrowed themselves deep within his heart years ago. When minutes passed and she still didn't move, he sighed again. So much for happy endings. He released his grip on her and turned around, preparing to walk out of the room, but a voice stopped him.

"Inuyasha," Kagome whispered.

His ears flickered atop his head, straining to hear. He turned to face her. Did she just call his name? He hadn't heard her utter a word to him in a long time and a familiar shiver crept up his back. "What is it, Kagome?" he asked fervently, striding up and placing a hand on her shoulder once more.

She didn't turn away from the window or move towards him, but a faint smile could be detected on her lips. "Isn't it a beautiful day out?"

The half-demon paused for a moment, not sure if he heard her right. His muscles relaxed and his heart rate slowed to normal. He swallowed against the lump in his throat. "Yeah," he mumbled. "Yeah, it is."

They stared out the window as the sun continued to shine brightly in the sky, watching as birds chirped by and the wind blew across the grass. Perhaps because of all they had been through, they would get their fairytale ending after all.

* * *

A/N: Fortunately or unfortunately, this draws a close to this story. There will be no more chapters after this and a sequel will not be an option either. I have left the ending open, allowing the readers' imaginations to wander to the varies possibilities that Inuyasha and Kagome now face. I hope you enjoyed the story while it lasted. In the future, I'll try to stumble upon writing a story with terror and tragedy again. For now, I shall say my final words and look forward to bigger and better things.

Many thanks to:

My amazing beta, Dani: She didn't help directly with this story, but without her knowledge and amazing patience, I would never have come as far as I have. Not only has she taught me important aspects of writing, but she had shown me the path to becoming the best I can possibly be. Words will never be able to describe how indebted I am to her. Thank you.

All of my reviewers. This story has soared far beyond anything I could ever imagine. Every time I read a review concerning what was to happen in the near future, I felt a sense of pride swell within my heart. I could not be grateful enough to everyone who has stuck by me since chapter one, or those who had latched onto this story only a few chapters ago. There are too many names to list, but always know that it is because of you that I continue writing and strengthening my skills. I especially want to thank those anonymous reviewers who took a few minutes to leave a small comment: Sorrow474, fan ... , KiaraKitty08, kuro neko, ashley, tara, anonymous, penutbuttercookie, kagome8657, WHO KNOWS, geekinthepink88, and Jamie. Without you, all would be lost. So thank you, from the bottom of my heart.

All of my readers: Even though most didn't leave a review, I am glad I had those who liked the story enough to follow it from beginning to end. You should know that I appreciate everyone's interest in the story. I hope you find some of my other work worth while as well.

When a story comes to an end, I tend to be an emotional person, especially when it is one of my favorites. It just means that things have to change and we have to move on, which means that only more time has passed. Oh well, life goes on. Now I am able to work on brand new material and pool all of my creative muse and concentration into new stories. I hope you enjoyed the story from chapter one. Perhaps we shall meet again some day. Love you all!

Sassybratt


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